Off Duty
by Lori2279
Summary: A cop & a medic. Though probably not the ones you're thinking about. Updated 0509 We thought that our version of B&K deserved an ending of their own.
1. At The End of The Day

Title: Off Duty  
  
Authors: Lori & Patti  
  
Email: soap_queen@hotmail.com; PattiL61@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: We own nothing.  
  
Author's notes: They both deserve to be happy.  
  
=====================================================  
  
Kim shook her head as she dropped the 'birthday gift' Jimmy had given her on the coffee table next to her keys. She shed her jacket and hung it over a chair after taking off her purse and putting it on the counter. She got herself a glass and had some orange juice before heading into her bedroom. She was glad Joey was at her mom's for the night. She could use the extra sleep in the morning. Just as she pulled back the covers she heard her front door open and close.  
  
"You don't have to be quiet. I'm awake." She called.  
  
"Good." He said entering the room a few minutes later without his jacket. He kissed her lightly before shedding his jeans after taking his shoes off.  
  
"I wasn't sure I was gonna see you tonight."  
  
"Didn't think you'd wanna be alone."  
  
"Can you read my mind?"  
  
"It's a talent of mine." He grinned. "What's with the vest on the coffee table?"  
  
"Jimmy's idea of a birthday gift." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"I thought that was him I saw walking away." He nodded. "Joey at your mom's?"  
  
"Yeah. Would you hate me if I told you I just wanted to go to sleep?"  
  
"No. I didn't think you'd be in the mood."  
  
"So you came over just to sleep?" She rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Is that so hard to believe? I don't only come over for sex." The look she gave him made him grin a little. "Okay, I don't always come over for sex. Better?"  
  
"Just teasing."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Me? Sure. Why?"  
  
"Today was scary."  
  
"In more ways then one."  
  
"I'm fine. You said so yourself."  
  
"Yeah. Not a scratch on you."  
  
"That's why you're here."  
  
"Oh is that why you keep me around?"  
  
"Yeah." He grinned at her.  
  
"I'm just glad you're okay."  
  
"Me too."  
  
She looked at the bed and then at him. "Sleep?"  
  
"Sleep." He pulled back the covers on the other side of her bed and slipped in next to her. He slid an arm around under her neck and folded so that his hand was on her shoulder while his other arm slid around her waist.  
  
Kim smiled as she put a hand over the one that rested on her stomach.  
  
"Night." He whispered into her ear.  
  
"Night Bosco." 


	2. A House Guest

Bosco had just finished possibly the worst shift of his life. Every scumbag in New York City had been out in full-force - in his and Faith's zone. They'd been running from one stupid call to the next. The shift wound up with a bang - literally - when they took a call for an armed robbery at the liquor store on Arthur and 145th. They responded to the scene and approached the store to see an elderly man behind the counter with a gun pointed at him from a shaky young guy. Faith went around to the back of the store and when she notified him that she was in position, the both entered their respective doors.  
  
The shaky man had spun around on Bosco and lifted his weapon to fire. Bosco had to make a split-second decision as to whether to fire on the man before he was fired upon. He didn't think that the man was stupid enough to shoot at a cop, but he didn't look all that stable. At the sound of the shot, Faith came flying in through the back entrance into the store taking in the scene. She was able to come around the counter and tackle the man from behind. After an hour of additional paperwork he was finally home.  
  
He had entered his apartment while in thought about the last call, still hearing the sound of the bullet whizzing past his ear, wondering if his senses were dimming. He put his keys on the table by the door and continued on into the kitchen. He put his off-duty gun up on the shelf in the closet. He removed the small bandage from his cheek and threw it away. He went to the refrigerator to grab a beer. He figured he'd unwind with a late-night ball game on Sports Center. He was in the refrigerator when he suddenly smelled something. He closed the door and took another sniff of the air and then recognized the smell. He opened the beer and walked into the living room and past the television - leaving it off.  
  
He continued on down the hallway and looked at the end of the hall to see a low, flickering light. He passed the bathroom and smelled the familiar floral scent of the bubble bath. "If anyone ever found that stuff in my bathroom, I'd never hear the end of it," he thought to himself as he smiled, approaching the room. He stopped in the doorway and took in the sight before him. He took a long swallow of his beer and set it down on the dresser.  
  
"Excuse me, Ma'am. I must have wondered into the wrong apartment by mistake," he said to the woman in his bed.  
  
"Well, you might as well come in as long as you're here," she replied, pulling down the covers for him. He took in the beautiful sight of her naked body and took in a deep breath. He got undressed and stood next to the bed as she watched.  
  
"Why, Officer! I'm so glad that I dialed 9-1-1. They obviously sent the right man for the job," she said. He lay down alongside of her, nuzzling his nose along her neck, taking in her scent mixed with the scent from the candles that she loved so much. And so it went from there until they both lay next to each other in total exhaustion.  
  
She had felt the tenseness of his muscles at the beginning of their lovemaking, but gradually felt him relax with her. Now, they lay next to each other, Bosco gently stroking her arm, his other arm curled around her, his fingers twisting strands of her hair as he stared up at the ceiling.  
  
"Rough day, Bosco?" she asked him finally, looking at his tired face.  
  
"The worst - until now. I take it Joey's with Jimmy this weekend?" he said, obviously knowing the answer.  
  
"Yeah," Kim replied.  
  
"Perfect timing. I really needed this," he said quietly, closing his eyes and falling into a peaceful sleep with Kim's warmth beside him. 


	3. Dinner for Two

Bosco entered the diner where he was meeting Kim for a late dinner. He spotted her at a back table and headed over. "Hey. Sorry I'm late." Bosco kissed her before taking a seat across from her. "Did you order?"  
  
"Just drinks. Hope a soda's okay. They don't serve beer."  
  
"It's fine." He looked over at her.  
  
"You're staring. Do I have something on my face?"  
  
"No. You look tired though. Rough day at the office?"  
  
"Yeah something like that." She smiled a little. "I can't win ya know?"  
  
"With who?"  
  
"You name them. My mother thinks I should be going out with if not already married to Bobby. Bobby on the other hand got on my case today about Jimmy. And as for Jimmy, I don't even want to go there."  
  
"Start with Bobby. What happened?"  
  
"It all started when I told Jimmy I had plans for the weekend when he asked me if I wanted to use his extra ticket to the Springsteen concert. He figured my plans were with Bobby and asked him what we were doing. He failed to mention that I hadn't told him that my plans were with Bobby that he just assumed they were. So Bobby thinks I lied to Jimmy and I used his name to make Jimmy jealous. You know what gets me though? If I had said yes, he would have been all over me about what a total jag-off Jimmy is and that I was going to end sleeping with him. So we fought and I hate fighting with him." Kim finished. She noticed Bosco's grin. "What?"  
  
"You really don't know, do you?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Bobby's got it bad for you."  
  
"No he doesn't." Kim rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yeah he does."  
  
"And you know this how? Did he tell you?"  
  
"No. Look, I'm a guy."  
  
"Yes, I know this."  
  
"And as a guy, I know the signs a guy shows when he likes a girl."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. He and Jimmy both look at you like they wanna jump your bones every time we have a call."  
  
"Now you're gonna drag Jimmy into this?"  
  
"What did he do?"  
  
"He made it his mission for the day to find out who my plans were with for the weekend once he found out they weren't with Bobby. Fortunately he's on till the morning so I don't have to worry about him being there when I get home tonight."  
  
"And your mom?"  
  
"I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Can we just enjoy dinner and each other for now?"  
  
"Absolutely." Bosco picked up his menu. "Hey, do you wanna keep our plans for the weekend?"  
  
"Yes." Kim nodded. "Mrs. Doherty has Joey for the weekend, Jimmy guilted me into that one, so we can leave on Friday after our shift."  
  
"You sure you don't wanna leave on Saturday?"  
  
"Positive. We can gamble or we can just stay in our hotel room all weekend."  
  
"I like that idea." Bosco grinned.  
  
"Thought you might." 


	4. An Unbearably Good Mood

Faith and Bosco were in the locker room changing into their street clothes. It had been a somewhat easy shift - nothing too heavy for a change. Faith watched as Bosco put his uniform shirt into his locker. He was humming again, and with the same stupid half-grin on his face. She watched him slip into his shirt and begin buttoning it. He looked up and caught her looking at him.  
  
"What?" he said, the grin growing bigger.  
  
Faith shook her head, "Nothing," she replied looking into her own locker and placing her weapon on the shelf. She heard Bosco sigh as she looked in the small mirror clipped to the inside door of her locker and checked her hair. "Again with the humming," she thought to herself. She took one last look to be sure she wasn't forgetting anything and firmly closed her locker. She walked over to Bosco and looked him up and down.  
  
"What?!" Bosco said again, checking to make sure that he had zipped his jeans or hadn't buttoned his shirt crookedly.  
  
"Okay, that's it! What is it?" Faith said finally in exasperation.  
  
"What's what? Faith, you've been staring at me all day like something's going on. Now, what's going on?" he asked her, just as exasperated.  
  
"That's what I want to know. What's going on? You've been in a fantastic mood all day. A good mood I can tolerate from you, but a fantastic mood only means trouble from you. So, what is it? Ever since you came back from your 'weekend' trip with whoever the playmate of the week is, you've had a grin that won't go away - not even when that stinkpot Arnie puked all over the RMP this afternoon!" Faith said. "So, give it up and spill the beans. You didn't get married this weekend or something without telling me, did you?"  
  
"WHAT!? No, I didn't get married," he replied, trying not to laugh at Faith's hysterics.  
  
"Bosco got married?" Ty said as he and Sully walked into the locker room.  
  
Bosco turned quickly toward the two officers, "NO! Bosco did NOT get married," he said angrily.  
  
"Oh, my God! The smirk is gone finally," Faith said in fake astonishment.  
  
"You mean that grin that he had on his face at roll call this afternoon? He wore that all day?" Sully teased.  
  
"Yeah, he's driving me nuts. That homeless, drunk guy, Arnie puked all over the back of our RMP and Bosco didn't even rip into him with any smart remarks," Faith explained.  
  
"Wow. That is something," Sully agreed. "So, what IS up, Bosco? Spill it."  
  
"Why does something have to be up? I just had a nice weekend away and-," he hesitated.  
  
"And, what?" Ty pushed.  
  
"And, nothing," Bosco said, looking at his watch. "G'night gentlemen and lady. I've gotta meet somebody," he said, grabbing his jacket, closing his locker door and walking out of the locker room, leaving his fellow officers standing around looking at each other, bewildered.  
  
"So?" Sully finally said to Faith.  
  
"So, nothing, Sully. I have no idea what's going on. I don't even know the name of the bimbo this time. Nothing. Nada. No info whatsoever," she said. She walked out of the locker room behind her partner, trying to catch up to him.  
  
She caught him as he walked out the front door and grabbed onto his arm. He stopped and turned toward her. "What, Faith? Look, I gotta get going. Do you want a ride home, it's pretty cold tonight?" he offered.  
  
"No, I'm gonna walk. Thanks, but you gotta tell me or I'm not gonna be able to sleep tonight," Faith said to him.  
  
"There's nothing to tell, Faith. I swear," he said to her.  
  
"Bosco, you'd tell me if it was serious, right?" she asked him, hoping and fairly certain that the answer would be yes.  
  
"What? Of course I would, Faith," Bosco said with a chuckle in his voice. "It's nothing serious - at least right now. Trust me, I'll let you know. G'night," he said again, turning to go to his car. "You're sure you don't want a ride?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks. G'night, Bosco. See you tomorrow," she said, turning to walk away toward home as she tried to think of what he was hiding from her.  
  
Bosco reached his car and opened the door. As he started to get in he looked across the street to see Kim running out of the firehouse and catching up to Bobby. He watched as the two spoke. He saw her glance in his direction and he got into his car and drove toward her apartment, the smile returning to his face. 


	5. Coming Clean

"Hey Bobby! Wait up!" Kim called as she ran after her partner.  
  
He sighed and turned around. "What's up Kim?"  
  
"We gotta talk. Can I get a ride home?"  
  
He reluctantly nodded. "Sure. C'mon."  
  
Kim smiled as he turned and started for his car again. She looked across the street and saw Bosco. A smiled crossed her face. He'd be waiting for her when she got home. It was a nice thought. He drove away and she followed Bobby to his car and got in.  
  
They drove for about a block in silence before Kim spoke. "You tried to kiss me."  
  
"I know that. I was there." Bobby replied.  
  
"And I stopped you."  
  
"Again, I was there."  
  
"Yeah but I didn't stop you for the reason you probably think."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"You think I stopped you because I'm still hung up on Jimmy. Am I warm?"  
  
Bobby didn't say anything.  
  
"Yeah I thought so. Bobby, I'm not."  
  
"You're not?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"Look, if circumstances were different, then yeah I'd be all for giving it a shot with you but things aren't different."  
  
"Circumstances? What circumstances?"  
  
"I'm seeing someone." Kim admitted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. For a while now."  
  
"How long of a while?"  
  
"August."  
  
"August?!?! Kim it's November."  
  
"Yeah I know."  
  
"So why am I just finding out about this?"  
  
"Look, it didn't start out to be a secret but as time went on and nobody knew I just decided to keep on keeping it quiet."  
  
"Do I know him?"  
  
"Yeah you know him. You don't know him well, but you know him."  
  
"And it's not Jimmy?"  
  
"No, it is not Jimmy."  
  
"So, who is it?"  
  
"Why do you wanna know?"  
  
"Why don't you wanna tell me?"  
  
"Because you have three sisters."  
  
"What's that got to do anything?"  
  
"I've found that guys with sisters tend to talk more then guys who don't have sisters."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
"Oh really? I told you I was getting a divorce on a day when Jimmy didn't have work and the next thing I knew guys from the first watch were asking me out." She gave him a look.  
  
"Slip of the tongue."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"C'mon, what is this? I'm your best friend. I think you can tell me."  
  
"Okay, but if this gets out, I'm going to know exactly who told and then I'm gonna have to kill you and I really don't want to do that so if you have to tell someone, tell your priest."  
  
Bobby grinned. "Okay."  
  
"It's Bosco."  
  
Bobby pulled the car over.  
  
"Whoa! Bobby!"  
  
"Did you just say-"  
  
Kim sighed and nodded. "It's Bosco."  
  
"The cop? The guy who leers at every female that crosses his path who is even remotely attractive?"  
  
"He doesn't leer anymore." Kim pointed out.  
  
"Don't change the subject. You're going out with him?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Does Jimmy know?"  
  
"Have you heard an explosion since August?"  
  
"Does Joey know?"  
  
"No. Neither does my mom. I'm only telling you because of what happened today. And you know I should be slightly pissed at you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause when I get home tonight I have to tell Bosco he was right and you do have a thing for me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was complaining about my day last week and when I was done he said something about me not knowing that you had it bad for me. I said he was wrong and now I have to tell him he was right."  
  
"How did he know?"  
  
"He says it's because he's a guy and as such he knows when a guy likes a girl."  
  
"You and Bosco." Bobby shook his head as he pulled back out into traffic.  
  
"Yeah, me and Bosco. Why is that so difficult to believe?"  
  
"You can sit and ask that?"  
  
"Yes. He's a good guy Bobby. He's got a good heart. He just doesn't show it to everybody."  
  
"Talk about having it bad." Bobby muttered.  
  
"I heard that."  
  
"So when are you gonna tell Jimmy?"  
  
"I don't know. It's not a conversation I'm looking forward to having."  
  
"Why? Just cause he and Bos don't get along?"  
  
"That's a bit of an understatement, isn't it?" Kim stared.  
  
"Yeah." Bobby looked over at her. "Is it serious?"  
  
"Not very. When it does get serious, or maybe even before, I'll tell Jimmy."  
  
"Just warn me. I wanna get out of the city."  
  
"Yeah. Me too." 


	6. Another Monday Night

Bosco was looking out the window of the darkened apartment. He saw Kim and Bobby talking. "I wonder what that's all about?" he thought to himself as he watched Kim finally open the door and get out. She glanced up from the street to the window that she knew he was at. She quickly looked back down at Bobby, said something and then closed the door and walked to the steps of the building. Bobby looked up momentarily and then drove off.  
  
Bosco went back over to the couch, turned on the television and sat down to check out the score of the football game. He heard Kim put the key in the lock and open the door. She flipped on the light switch, dropped her stuff on the table by the door, and looked over at the television.  
  
"Ugh, not football!" she whined.  
  
He looked at her and gave her a smile. "It's Monday, Baby! Giants, Baby!" was all he said. Kim rolled her eyes, made a face, and walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of soda. "Want anything?" she asked him before she closed the door.  
  
"I already grabbed a beer," he answered her as he watched the fumble. "Oh, man. Sehorn threw that right to him. He shoulda' had it!" he said, slapping his knee.  
  
She opened the bottle and walked over to sit next to him on the couch. He raised his arm and let her settle against him. "Hey, you're cold!" he said, grabbing the throw off the back of the couch and putting it around her. "How was your night?" he asked, leaning over to give her a kiss.  
  
"It was okay. Kinda slow. Which is good, because I'm exhausted from our trip. How about you? Were you real busy?" she asked him.  
  
"Pretty much the same," he said, the grin coming back to his face as he thought of his conversation with Faith.  
  
"What?" Kim said to him, noticing his grin.  
  
"I think Faith knows I'm seeing 'someone'," Bosco said to her.  
  
"Oh yeah? And what makes you say that?" she asked, taking a sip of her soda.  
  
Bosco flinched at another bad play by his team and took a swig of his beer. "Because she said I was in a good mood all day today and that I was smiling all day," he told her, looking at her and watching the mischievous smile come across her face. "I didn't even flip out on stinky Arnie when he blew chow all over the back of the RMP," he said proudly.  
  
"Did I do that to you, Officer?" she said, tracing a finger along his bottom lip.  
  
"I don't know. Are you my 'playmate of the month'?" he asked her.  
  
"What?!" she said, mock anger in her tone.  
  
"That's what Faith asked me. Who my playmate of the month was," he explained. "Of course, I didn't mention any names," he added.  
  
Kim paused for a moment. "Um, yeah. About that," Kim said to him cautiously.  
  
"Yeah?" he said curiously.  
  
"Um, Bobby knows about us," she blurted out, waiting for the explosion.  
  
"What do you mean, 'Bobby knows about us'?" he asked, turning to face her. "I thought we were going to keep this a secret for awhile," he said.  
  
"Well, Bobby guessed something was up. You see, something happened tonight and I, well, let's just say you were right," she stammered.  
  
"What? What happened?" Bosco asked, a little worried.  
  
"Relax, Bos," she said, putting a hand on his chest. "We were sitting outside after a call and we were talking," she started.  
  
"Yeah. And?" he said.  
  
"Well, he suddenly leaned over and tried to kiss me," she said, feeling him tense beside her. "I said he TRIED to kiss me," she reiterated.  
  
"I told you," he said. "And what did you tell him?"  
  
"Well, I told him that if things were different, then maybe I'd consider giving it a try with him, but that I was seeing someone. He assumed it was Jimmy. I corrected him," she finished, looking up at him. She saw him relax slightly.  
  
"And he was okay with it?" he asked her.  
  
"He was surprised by it," she said, chuckling. "He almost drove off the road. He said he wants to know before I tell Jimmy so that he can leave town before the explosion," she finished, laughing.  
  
"Yeah, well tell him I want to ride out of town with him," Bosco said, starting to laugh, the football game all but forgotten. "So, what now?" he asked her, playing with her hair as it fell on his arm.  
  
"I don't know, but you can tell Faith if you want. She'll keep it quiet, right?" she asked him, settling in next to him again.  
  
"She will. Always," Bosco assured Kim.  
  
"Well, then go ahead," she said, sitting up straighter to kiss him. He kissed her back and they settled back to watch the rest of the game. Well, at least Bosco did. He heard and felt Kim's breathing deepen and looked down to see her fast asleep against him. He pulled the blanket up around her and finished off his beer as he watched the Giants turn it around and pull out the win in overtime. 


	7. Glad You're Here

"Are you sure we can't see each other tonight?" Bosco asked as he and Kim kissed by the stairs to the trains.  
  
"Positive. I've got Joey. But this weekend is a different story. He's at Jimmy's and my mom is going to see my aunt so she won't bother us."  
  
"So you're going to be all alone in that apartment?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Kim nodded. "Wanna keep me company?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Bosco said with a grin. He kissed her again.  
  
"Hey, you never told me. What did Faith say when you told her who you were seeing?"  
  
"Nothing for about five minutes. She just stared at me."  
  
"And then what?"  
  
"She said it was about time I started seeing a real person and not one of those blow-up dolls who can talk I usually go out with."  
  
"So in her eyes I'm an improvement?"  
  
"Not just in her eyes." He grinned.  
  
"You keep talking like that and neither one of us is gonna make it to work today."  
  
"Would that be so bad?"  
  
"No, but we should go."  
  
"Yeah I know. You're a good influence on me."  
  
"Tell Faith she's welcome." Kim teased.  
  
"You tell Bobby the same."  
  
"Oh I can't. Bobby laid down the law a couple days ago. I can't talk about you and me. I give him images."  
  
"What kind?"  
  
"I told him about what we were doing the night Jimmy had Joey a couple weeks ago." Kim grinned wickedly.  
  
Bosco laughed. "I'm sure he enjoyed that."  
  
"Nah. Not really." Kim smiled. "I'll see you later." She kissed him one last time and then started to walk towards the house.  
  
"I'll see you right here on Friday after you get off." Bosco called.  
  
Kim turned. "What, you don't wanna watch?" She winked at him.  
  
"You're a bad girl Zambrano."  
  
"You don't know the half of it Boscorelli."  
  
"Safe shift." He called after her.  
  
"Always." She smiled. She went to start walking again but turned back to Bosco. "And officer?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Let's be careful out there." She grinned.  
  
HR  
  
Kim locked the door to her apartment behind her. She didn't bother with lights, knowing that her mother had probably seen the news report and picked up Joey so her sitter could go home. She left a trail of her things from the front door to her bedroom. When she got to her room she switched on the lights and immediately gasped.  
  
"Oh God. You scared me to death. Why are you sitting in the dark?"  
  
"I didn't want Jimmy or Bobby thinking you were home if they drove by and saw a light on. Bobby would understand but I think I'd have a problem if Jimmy found out I was here." Bosco said. "You disappeared before. You okay?"  
  
Kim sighed. "Yes. No. Not sure to tell you the truth. Today wasn't one of the better days you have in this job."  
  
Bosco reached out a hand and Kim smiled as she took in and kneeled on the bed next to him.  
  
"Bobby talked to me after you left. He said you did real good in there. I'm just glad you came out."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"I just wanted to see if you were okay. I can go if you want to be alone."  
  
"No. I want you to stay. I'm glad you're here."  
  
"Me too." 


	8. A Close Call

"Yeah, hello," came the gruff, muffled voice through the phone.  
  
"Um, hi Mel. Is Kim there?" Bobby asked, thinking quickly when he heard Bosco's voice, trying not to let Jimmy know that Bosco was at Kim's apartment.  
  
Bosco threw the pillow from over his head and sat up with the phone to his hear. He'd forgotten where he was and reached for the phone when it rang. He looked over at Kim who apparently hadn't heard it ring. "Thank God it was Bobby and not Jimmy on the phone," he thought to himself as he reached over and lovingly smacked Kim on the rear end. "Kim!" he shouted in a whisper as he squinted trying to see his watch in the dark.  
  
"Hey!" Kim yelled from under the covers.  
  
"Phone," Bosco whispered to her. She sat up and looked at him.  
  
"You answered the phone?!" she said in disbelief.  
  
He gave her his now famous Boscorelli scowl and said, "I forgot!" as he handed her the phone. "It's Bobby," he whispered.  
  
"Um, hi Bobby. What's up?" Kim asked trying to sound casual.  
  
"Kim. I'm here at the firehouse - Jimmy says 'hi,'" he started so that she'd realize just how lucky she was that Jimmy hadn't called instead of Bobby.  
  
"Tell Jimmy I said hello back," Kim said, looking over at Bosco as he rolled his eyes. He lay back down and pulled the pillow back over his head intending to go back to sleep until he heard the rest of the conversation from Kim's end.  
  
"Um, Jimmy's Mom called him to say that Joey's sick and wants to come home," Bobby said. "So, Jimmy was wondering if, since he's working, you could go pick him up right after work so you can come in to work." Kim's stomach tightened at the thought of having Jimmy show up in the morning to get Joey and finding Bosco's car outside and Bosco's ass in her bed.  
  
"So, what do you think?" Bobby asked.  
  
Obviously, she'd missed part of the conversation as she thought of what would've happened if Jimmy had just picked Joey up and brought him over without calling her first. "What do I think about what?" Kim asked.  
  
"About me working your shift for you tomorrow so that Joey can stay in his own bed without having to move again. He's gonna be wiped out from being sick tonight and this way, if Jimmy gets hung up on a job and can't get there in time, you won't be late for work," he repeated. "You can pay me back for working another time when I need it," he finished.  
  
"Oh, uh, yeah Bobby. Thanks," she said. "Yeah, put Jimmy on for me okay? And, thanks again, Bobby," she said, knowing that he knew she meant for calling before Jimmy could.  
  
"Hi, Jimmy," Kim said into the phone. "No, it's not a problem. I'll go pick him up right now. Did your Mom say what's wrong with him?" she asked and then listened to his answer as Bosco sat up again and looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Oh. They sent a note home about that from school. A lot of the kids are coming down with it. I'm on my way over there now. No, I'll use Mel's car. She's here ummm, cause she had a fight with her boyfriend and she was upset. Yeah. Okay. Tell Bobby thanks again," she said, hanging up the phone.  
  
She looked over at Bosco who was staring at her. "I can't believe you answered the phone!" she said to him again.  
  
"I told you. I forgot where I was," he explained again. They both sat for a moment thinking how lucky they were and then started to chuckle.  
  
"It's not funny," Kim said as she got up and started getting dressed.  
  
"Yeah, it is actually," Bosco replied watching her walk across the room looking for her clothes. God, he wanted her again right now. "So, what's up?" he asked finally as she felt his eyes on her and looked over at him.  
  
"Joey's sick and he wants to come home. He always wants to come home when he's sick," she explained.  
  
"Is it anything serious?" he asked, the concern on his face making her smile.  
  
"No. Just some bug that's going around school. They sent a note home about it because so many kids are getting it," she said, bending over to tie her shoe in the doorway to the room as Bosco walked by to go into the bathroom. He smacked her on the butt as he walked by, almost knocking her over because she wasn't ready for it.  
  
"Ow!" she said, jokingly as she picked up his sneaker and tossed it toward him without hitting him. "Sorry," she said as he got dressed and prepared to head home.  
  
"It's okay. He's sick. I understand. He wants his Mom," he said. "But, the question is - does he want her as much as I do?" he smiled as he grabbed her from behind and pulled her back against him. She reached up behind her and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his neck.  
  
"How come it took us so long to hook up?" she wondered out loud.  
  
"Cause we were stupid," he said simply, letting her go and grabbing his jacket as he headed out into the living room. "You better get going. Joey needs you," he said. "You want me to drive you over?"  
  
"Yes, but I better not. Because he'll mention to Jimmy what a cool car you have and that'll be that," she said.  
  
"And what's so wrong with that?" he said, looking at her evenly. He'd been thinking about this for a while. And, although he liked their privacy, he'd been thinking about how pissed Jimmy was gonna be when he found out how long they'd been seeing each other and that Bobby and Faith knew before him.  
  
"Bos?" Kim said, not realizing what he'd been thinking about. "Are you sure you want people to know yet?"  
  
"Yes. No. I don't know. Sometimes I think it'd be good. We could go anywhere we wanted without having to worry about reactions from people we work with or it getting back to Jimmy or Joey," he said, trying to gauge her reaction. "I don't know. I was just thinking out loud," he said, dismissing the thought. He fished his keys out of his jacket pocket and leaned over to kiss her good-bye.  
  
"Mmmm. We'll talk more about this soon, I promise, Bosco," she said. He nodded.  
  
"Night," he said, opening the door and turning back to her. "Call me when you get back in and get him settled so I know you got home okay? I'll be awake," he said giving her a wink and closing the door behind him.  
  
Kim picked up the phone to call for a cab and thought about what Bosco had mentioned. 


	9. Coming Clean Again

Kim's shift was over but she and Bobby hadn't clocked out yet. They were heading back to the house from Mercy after bringing in a possible M.I. that had taken forever because the guy was old and senile and just plain annoying.  
  
"How was your date last night?" Bobby asked.  
  
"You actually wanna know?"  
  
"Just leave out any physical stuff." Bobby said with a grin.  
  
"It was nice. We went out to dinner. We danced and then we went back to his place."  
  
"Enough said."  
  
Kim nodded. "Fair warning. I'm telling Jimmy about Bosco and me within the next few hours."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause, I'm sick of hiding it and I don't think he'll be that pissed."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Cause I met his girlfriend last night."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yep. Her name's Brooke and get this. She's a cop with the 2-5 out in Brooklyn."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep. They've been seeing each other for a while and he wants to introduce her to Joey. So I figure since he's got someone in his life, this would be a good time to let him know that for the last six months I've had someone in my life."  
  
"Difference is that you don't see Brooke on a daily basis."  
  
"What difference does that make?"  
  
"Kim, you and Bosco see Jimmy every day. You've been acting like nothing's going on for six months. So in essence you've been lying to him for a very long time. Think what you like, he's gonna be pissed."  
  
"Bobby, I'd like your support on this."  
  
"You have it. Bosco know you're spilling the beans?"  
  
"Yeah I told him this morning. He promised to stick around and drive me home after I was done talking to Jimmy."  
  
"When you gonna tell Joey?"  
  
"Next weekend. Jimmy has him this weekend. While Joey's at Jimmy's we're gonna have dinner with my mom and let her in on the news."  
  
"You meet Bosco's mom yet?"  
  
"Not yet. I want to but she works the same time we do and she sleeps the same hours we do."  
  
"What does she do?"  
  
"She owns a bar." Kim nodded.  
  
"Cool."  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
When Kim finished changing she went down to the kitchen. "Hey Lombardo, where's Jimmy?"  
  
"Downstairs Kim."  
  
"He alone?"  
  
"Yeah, I think he's practicing his jump shot."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Kim went down to where the basketball net was set up and found Jimmy. Her stomach was tight and her palms were sweaty. She snorted a little as she thought of the last time she'd been this nervous before a conversation with Jimmy. It was when she was about to tell him she was pregnant with Joey.  
  
"Uh, Jimmy?" Kim said.  
  
"Hey Kimmy, what's up?" He said sinking the ball before he turned to face her. "You okay? You look weird."  
  
"I need to tell you something."  
  
"What's up? Is it Joey?"  
  
"No. Joey's fine. Look, since you have him this weekend and you want him to meet Brooke and you asked my permission before you just sprung her on him, I thought it the decent thing to do as well."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Next weekend, when I have him, I'd like to introduce him to someone I've been seeing for a while now."  
  
"I didn't know you were seeing someone."  
  
"Yeah. No one does."  
  
"So do I get to meet him?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"You know him actually." Kim admitted.  
  
"I do? What, did Bobby finally get up the balls to ask you out?"  
  
"It's not Bobby. He's a cop."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Across the street."  
  
"What?" Jimmy stared.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Is it Davis?"  
  
"No, it's not Davis." Kim took a deep breath. "It's Bosco."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm going out with Bosco."  
  
Jimmy started to laugh. "That's a good one Kim."  
  
"I'm not joking Jimmy."  
  
"Are you nuts?"  
  
"No. Why do I have to be nuts to wanna go out with Bosco?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Because he's an ass."  
  
"No he's not. Okay he can be but he's not to me."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"How long what?"  
  
"How long have you two been seeing each other?"  
  
"Since August." Kim admitted quietly.  
  
"August?" Jimmy shouted.  
  
"Yes. Would you lower your voice? You're gonna have the whole house down here in another couple of minutes, not to mention most of the cops."  
  
"You've been going out with Boscorelli since August and you're just now getting around to telling me?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Unbelievable. Six months and you didn't once think that maybe you should clue in the father of your child about the fact that you were seeing someone?"  
  
"Look, it didn't start out as some big conspiracy to keep everyone in the dark it just happened."  
  
"It just happened? Colds just happen Kim. Charlie horses just happen. A secret relationship does not just happen."  
  
"Look, I just wanted to let you know. I'm going home now. Goodnight."  
  
"We're not finished."  
  
Kim faced him. "Jimmy, I did not tell you so I could ask your permission. I told you because I wanna tell Joey and my mother and I didn't want you to hear it from one of them."  
  
"He is not allowed around my son."  
  
"Our son, jackass." Kim corrected. "And yes he is."  
  
"He's a bad influence and he's got a lousy temper. I don't want that around Joey."  
  
"You are a hell of a person to talk about bad influences and lousy tempers."  
  
"Why Bosco? Of all the people in this city you pick him?"  
  
"He picked me. He asked me out and I said yes."  
  
"You doing this to get back at me or something? A guy I hate asks you out and you say yes."  
  
"This isn't about you. Newsflash Jimmy: My life ceased to revolve around you about the time you crawled into bed with Melanie."  
  
"Don't bring that into this."  
  
"I will bring whatever the hell I want to into this. You are a self- centered, self-indulgent little boy who thinks that because a woman was once in love with you she has to pine away for you for the rest of her life even though you've clearly moved on. Get over yourself Jimmy. I did." With that Kim stormed out of the firehouse into the night. 


	10. Dust

"So, how'd it go?" Bobby asked Kim as she came back upstairs to where Bobby was waiting for her.  
  
"Not good," she said, pacing back and forth. She looked out the window and saw Bosco waiting across the street, leaning against his car. "Look, I've gotta get out of here before he decides to go looking for Bosco. Can you go down and talk to him? You know, see if he's okay?" she asked Bobby.  
  
"Wait. Does he know that I know?" Bobby asked her.  
  
"No. It never came up," she answered, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. She opened the door and made eye contact with Bosco. She walked across the darkened street, never breaking that eye contact. He started walking toward her and they met in the middle of the street.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, feeling her tremble. After a moment they walked over to his car. "So, I'm guessing it didn't go as well as you'd hoped?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Can we walk for a little bit?" she said, looking at him with wet eyes. Bosco nodded and they started to slowly walk toward the playground down at the end of the street. Kim reached over and took his hand in her own, moving closer to him. They continued on in silence, listening to the sounds of the night, until they reached the park. Kim sat on the edge of the picnic table and Bosco sat on the bench, his arm resting on her thigh as they watched the cars drive by.  
  
After another moment, Kim finally said. "I'm not sorry."  
  
"Excuse me?" Bosco said, looking at her.  
  
"I'm not sorry I told him," she said, looking down at Bosco. Each time she looked at him, she noticed something else she hadn't noticed before. This time, she noticed how the light from the streetlight reflected in his eyes and picked up the red highlights of his hair.  
  
"Uh huh," Bosco said. "So, what did he say to you?"  
  
"He said that he didn't want you around HIS son," she told him, knowing that it would hurt him, but not wanting him to hear it from Jimmy first. Because she knew that it was only a matter of time before Jimmy and Bosco caught up with each other. She looked down and saw the hurt on his face and it brought tears to his eyes. "I told him that Joey was MY son too and that I had no qualms about letting you be around him. I told him that you're different when you're not working. I told him that he was a self- centered, self-indulgent little boy. Yeah, I think those were my exact words, among others," she said with a smile.  
  
"You said that to him?" he said, standing up and moving around so that he was standing in front of her.  
  
"I did," she said with pride in her voice. He put both hands on her knees and pushed them apart so that he could walk between her legs and put his arms around her.  
  
"So, what happens now?" he asked her. "We wait for him to come 'gunning' for me?" he joked.  
  
"No. I think he'll calm down. I think he thinks that once any woman has been with him, they're ruined for any other kind of relationship," she said, putting her arms around him.  
  
"And?" Bosco said.  
  
"And, he's in for a rude awakening," Kim said, lowering her arms and putting her hands on his backside, giving each cheek a squeeze before she sat up straight and looked him in the eye.  
  
"Hey!" Bosco said, as he jumped back. "I believe you just assaulted a police officer," he said as she stood up.  
  
"Oooh. Then you better take me home and cuff me, Officer," she said, taking his hand as they headed back toward his car.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Jimmy was sitting on the bench by the basketball hoop when Bobby went downstairs.  
  
"Hey, Jimmy. What's up?" Bobby asked him casually.  
  
Jimmy looked up at him. "Kim's seeing Boscorelli," he stated.  
  
"Yeah?" Bobby said innocently.  
  
"Yeah. Can you believe it? Can you believe that she'd get involved with that jerk?" Jimmy said, starting to get angry again.  
  
"Whoa, man. Easy. Maybe he's different when he's not working," Bobby offered. "You know the kind of crap he has to put up with from people every day. It's bound to have an effect on him. It's like a protective shell he wears on the job," Bobby tried to explain.  
  
"Oh yeah? And how do you know so much?" Jimmy asked, suddenly realizing that Bobby knew about Kim and Bosco. "How long have you known?" he asked Bobby.  
  
"About three months," Bobby answered, looking up at Jimmy with guilt on his face.  
  
"And you didn't tell me?!" Jimmy said angrily.  
  
"It wasn't my place, Jimmy. It's not like she was out doing something dangerous or anything. And they never saw each other on the nights that Joey was with her so how did it make it mine or your business?" Bobby said, getting a little annoyed himself.  
  
"You shoulda told me, Bobby," Jimmy said to him for lack of anything else to say.  
  
"Look. How long have you been seeing Brooke?" Bobby asked.  
  
"That's different," Jimmy protested.  
  
"How so?" Bobby insisted. "Because you can move on and she's not supposed to?"  
  
"No, I never said that," Jimmy said, stopping because he was starting to realize that maybe he wasn't right after all.  
  
"Well, I'm outta here for tonight. You working tomorrow?" Bobby said to Jimmy, standing up.  
  
"Yeah. See ya," Jimmy said as he watched Bobby leave.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim and Bosco had walked back to his car. He walked her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. He closed the door after she got in and started to walk around to his side of the car. He glanced across at the firehouse and saw Jimmy standing in the doorway watching them. Without acknowledging him, Bosco got in the car and headed down the street.  
  
"So, where to now?" Bosco said.  
  
"I dunno. What d'you feel like doing?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Are you hungry?" He asked her.  
  
"A little," she said, realizing that she hadn't eaten all day because she was nervous about talking to Jimmy.  
  
"How about we head over to my Ma's bar? She'll give us something to eat and she can meet you," he suggested looking at her to gauge her reaction.  
  
"Sounds great," she said, finally relaxing.  
  
Bosco headed in the direction of his mother's place of employment. 


	11. 1 am

"Hey Bobby?" Doc said to the fellow medic one day before shift. Kim had breezed through the kitchen a few minutes earlier greeting them by name except for Jimmy who had been sitting at the table eating cereal. After she'd gone upstairs Jimmy had gone into the living room. This wasn't the first time something along those lines had happened recently.  
  
"Yeah Doc?"  
  
"What's with Kim and Jimmy? She hasn't said more then two words to him unless it was absolutely necessary in the last week."  
  
"You haven't heard? I thought it was common knowledge by now."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Kim and Bosco are going out. Jimmy's not to thrilled about the idea."  
  
"Kim's going out with Bosco? Kim Zambrano?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Man. For how long?"  
  
"About six months."  
  
"And she just told Jimmy?"  
  
"Yeah well she figured now would be a good time 'cause he's got someone in his life."  
  
"But still, six months and she's just now telling him that she's going out with Bosco?"  
  
"Who's going out with Bosco?" Carlos asked.  
  
"I am." Kim came down the stairs.  
  
"I knew it!" Carlos exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Kim rose an eyebrow at him  
  
"I knew something was going on with the two of you. You were laughing way to much at his stupid jokes."  
  
"They're not stupid."  
  
"Oh man, you do have it bad." Bobby said.  
  
"Let's go. We have inventory." Kim said to her partner.  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Kim?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Your doorbell's ringing."  
  
Kim lifted her head from her pillow and looked over at Bosco. "What?"  
  
"Your doorbell is ringing."  
  
Kim listened and then looked at the clock. "It's one in the morning!"  
  
"You want me to get it?"  
  
"No. I'll get it. You stay here and keep the bed warm."  
  
"Yes ma'am." Bosco grinned.  
  
Kim got up and pulled on her robe. She stumbled into the living room and after looking out to see who was ringing, yanked the door open.  
  
"Jimmy?" She looked down at Joey, who was standing there looking very sleepy. "Joey, sweetheart, go jump into bed and I'll be there in a minute." Joey went past Kim and down the hall to his room. Kim looked back at Jimmy. "What happened?"  
  
"My car got repossessed by my bookie."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They pulled me over and took my car, my wallet, and my watch. Kim, they were gonna kick my ass."  
  
"And all this happened in front of Joey?" Kim was incensed.  
  
"Yeah." Jimmy said. Before Kim could say anything else Jimmy pushed past her. "I'm going to say goodnight to my son."  
  
After Jimmy left and Joey was asleep, Kim went back into her room.  
  
"Everything okay?" Bosco asked leaned on an elbow.  
  
"How much did you hear?"  
  
"You've got pretty thin walls."  
  
"He had bookies threatening his life in front of his son." Kim sat down on the bed.  
  
"I doubt Joey knew what was going on."  
  
"He knew that Jimmy lost his car and they had to walk home." Kim rolled her eyes. "And you know what? When and if I talk with Jimmy about this, he's going to ask that I cut him some slack."  
  
"Probably." Bosco nodded.  
  
"I cut enough slack. I cut him slack when we were married; I cut him slack after we were married. Maybe that's why he thinks he can tell me who not to see. Well, you know what? I'm through cutting him slack. He does something like this again and I'm going to court about Joey."  
  
"You sure you want to do that? You've told me a million time how much Joey loves Jimmy."  
  
"I got way to used to being let down when Jimmy and I were together. I'm not letting Joey get used to it. Jimmy has one more chance. If he screws it up, I will do what I have to, to keep it from happening again." 


	12. Ten thirteen

Kim paced the apartment for what seemed like the hundredth time since 11:00 p.m. She'd been waiting for Bosco since she got home from work. It was now 2:30 in the morning with no sign of him. She called his apartment and got his machine. She thought back to the pathetic, whiny message she'd left and wished there was a way to call back and erase it. She sounded like a whining child. But the later it got, the more worried she became.  
  
Finally, at about 3:15 there was a light knock on her door. She walked over and looked through the peephole to see Bosco leaning against the doorway. She opened the door and he walked into the apartment. "What's up?" he asked her, wondering why she looked so angry. She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"What's up?!" she repeated. He looked at her sensing that he was in trouble for something.  
  
"Yeah, you sounded upset on the machine. I was going to call, but I didn't want to wake you up if you were sleeping. I drove over and noticed your lights were on so I came up," he explained, mentally trying to figure out what he'd done to make her angry. "So, what's the problem? Joey okay?" he asked unable to think of anything he'd done wrong.  
  
"The problem, Bosco, is that I've been waiting to find out if you're okay after what happened today. That's the problem," she said, waiting for his response.  
  
"Why wouldn't I be okay after what happened today. We got the bad guys. They're not gonna be bothering anyone else - ever," he simply stated.  
  
"Do you know how scared I was when I heard the call for EMS for a 10-13? I was so scared I could hardly move. I was so afraid to come around that corner and find you lying on the ground with a bullet in you," she said, starting to tear up.  
  
"Whoa, hey, hey. I'm okay, Kim. I'm fine," Bosco said, walking over to her. He reached out for her, but she pushed him away.  
  
"But, how can you be fine after something like that? How can that not affect you? Two people lost their lives today and they still don't know if that old man from the store is gonna make it. Candy's okay, but he came close to dying today. So, how can you just be 'OK' with it?" she asked, trembling again at the feelings she had when she heard the radio call for an officer down.  
  
"Look, it didn't not affect me," he said, trying to figure out a way to put it into words. "But, I'm not the one who decided to go out and try to rob a store today. I'm not the one who decided to go out in a blaze of glory. And those two 'people' that lost their lives today are scumbags. Anyone that would prey on people like that aren't human, they're dirt."  
  
He looked at the expression on her face and started to pace, "You know what, I was wrong. It did affect me. It affected me when I walked into that store and found that woman being held as a shield in front of that coward. It affected me when they were shooting at my partner. It affected me when they pulled that cab driver from his cab and used it to try to get away in. It affected me when I had to chase him through yards and track him like the dog that he was. It affected me when he shot at cops. It affected me when he hit one of those cops and then ran like a coward into some house where who knows who could have gotten killed inside," he said, starting to get angry and not wanting to. Kim just looked at him. This is what she wanted. This is what she was waiting for. He should have been here, telling her his feelings. Not trying to forget them in some bar with his buddies, reliving the glory.  
  
"So, yeah. I guess you could say it affected me, but I'm handling it," he said, standing still and leaning against the desk in her living room. She looked at him. He had on his 'don't piss me off' look. She'd seen it a million times while he was working; when he was dealing with one jag-off or another as he termed them.  
  
"Oh, yeah. You're handling it fine. You smell like a brewery, Bosco. How is going out and getting drunk handling it?" she asked him. "Look, I'm sorry, but I'm just not used to dealing with this stuff everyday. It's different for me. I'm not used to worrying about people that I love being shot at or running after people that are going to try to kill them," she said, trying so hard not to cry again, but she just couldn't shake the feelings she had when she thought it could have been him that got shot.  
  
She sat on the couch and Bosco watched her for a moment. "Dammit," he thought to himself. Finally, he walked over and sat down next to her. "Look, I'm not used to having to worry that someone else is worrying about me. I mean, Faith worries and I worry about Faith when we're working, but it's different. It must be the way Fred worries about Faith while she's working," he said. She nodded her head as she leaned against him.  
  
He put his arm around her and they sat back against the couch for a little while, thinking about what each other had said. After a little while, Bosco realized what she'd said to him.  
  
"You love me?" he asked her quietly, not sure how he felt about her revelation.  
  
"Can't you just be like a deliveryman or something less dangerous?" she asked, avoiding his question. She hadn't been ready to reveal that to him yet, but it was out there and she couldn't - wouldn't - take it back.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said finally.  
  
"I was so scared," she responded, holding onto him tightly. 


	13. Advice

"A double date?" Bosco asked in disbelief.  
  
"Sort of." Kim said over the phone. "Bobby wants to introduce this girl he's seeing to some of his friends so he asked if we'd be willing to go out on Friday after the shift."  
  
"Sounds like fun."  
  
"I promise to make it up to you. Joey's at my mom's that night so we can go to your place after dinner."  
  
"Sold." Bosco laughed. "See you later okay?"  
  
"Okay. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Bosco said yes." Kim said to Bobby as they climbed into their rig.  
  
"Great." Bobby grinned.  
  
"So, who is this girl?"  
  
"Her name's Treva and I met her a couple of weeks ago. She's nice."  
  
"Are you sleeping with her?"  
  
"Kim!"  
  
"C'mon, you know I'm sleeping with Bosco."  
  
"Cause you told me in horrifying detail one day."  
  
"I didn't tell you every detail."  
  
"And let's keep it that way."  
  
"Fine." She looked over at him. "So?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"I'm not answering that."  
  
"Prude."  
  
"And damn proud of it."  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Hey good looking." Kim said as she got closer to Bosco's car.  
  
Bosco looked up. "Hey."  
  
"Waiting for someone?"  
  
"As a matter of fact I am. Maybe you know her. She's a medic."  
  
"Describe her. Maybe I'll be able to place her."  
  
"Beautiful, good body, amazing eyes and did I mention beautiful?"  
  
"Sounds like you hit the jackpot."  
  
"Oh I did." Bosco kissed her. "How was your shift?"  
  
"Kinda long."  
  
"Yeah? Did Jimmy say anything?"  
  
"I sorta don't give him the chance. He comes in and I leave."  
  
"You know, I don't like the guy, but you do share a child so you're gonna have to talk to him sooner or later."  
  
"You feeling alright?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Cause you sounded really logical just now."  
  
"I have my moments."  
  
"Yes you do." Kim smiled. "I'll talk to him tomorrow. Can I get a ride home?"  
  
"Absolutely. Hop in." 


	14. One Friday Night

"So, what'd you think?" Bosco asked Kim as they were driving home from the restaurant. Tonight was the night they went out with Bobby and Treva.  
  
"I think she's nice," she said. "What'd you think? I know you liked her looks," she said smugly, looking over at him and noticing his smirk and the sideways glance he gave her.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," he feigned innocence.  
  
"Uh huh. Seriously, what'd you think?" she asked again.  
  
He thought for a moment, remembering the looks on Bobby's face as Treva did whatever she was doing to him under the table, and then replied with a smile and a chuckle, "I think she'll probably kill him." Kim slapped him in the arm and they both started to laugh. After a few minutes of quiet, Bosco said, "She reminded me of this girl I used to know, Nicole."  
  
"In a good way, or a bad way?" Kim asked him, not knowing who Nicole was.  
  
"Depends on your point of view. She was.... intense," Bosco replied, trying to pick his words carefully.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, let's just say that if I was dating Nicole now, she'd probably kill me," he finished.  
  
"Ahhh. I see. So, she was very outgoing?" Kim stated as a question.  
  
Bosco nodded and completed the sentence, "And ingoing, and undergoing, and above-going, and car-going and parking lot-going and basketball game- going..." Kim interrupted him.  
  
"Okay, okay. I get the picture!"  
  
"Do you miss that?" she asked him, putting her hand on his leg. "'Cause I could probably do something about that," she continued, moving her hand higher on his thigh. She watched his facial expression change.  
  
"Yeah. I'll bet you could, but I'm driving here," he said, reaching down and taking hold of her hand. "Besides, isn't Joey at your apartment with a babysitter? You don't want me walking through your door in that, uh.... condition, do you?" he asked, slightly squirming in his seat.  
  
"Why, Maurice. I do believe you're blushing," Kim said as she moved her grip from his leg to his hand that was covering hers.  
  
"We're home," he said, changing the subject. He pulled to the curb and turned off the motor. "You want me to bring the babysitter home?" he asked her as she almost soundlessly moved across the space between them and pressed her lips to his, parting his with her tongue.  
  
He touched the side of her face and cradled her cheek in his hand, slowly and deeply returning her kiss. A moment later, they parted, out of breath. She looked him over and saw that he was in no condition to bring the babysitter home. "Um, I'll do it if I can use your car," she offered.  
  
"Uh huh," he said, still caught in the passion of her kiss. They got out of the car and headed up the stairs to her apartment hand-in-hand. After another long passionate kiss, along with her touch, she put her key in the lock and opened the door. Bosco moved quickly through the room and down the hallway, nodding slightly to the sleepy teenager sitting on Kim's couch, "G'night," he said as he walked by. He could hear Kim chuckling as he made his way to her bedroom.  
  
"You ready, Kayleigh?" Kim asked, as the girl got her coat and book bag. "Did he behave?" she asked about her son.  
  
"Always, Ms. Zambrano. He's the best kid I baby-sit for," Kayleigh answered as they walked out the door. Kim looked back and saw Bosco standing at the entrance to the living room and she whispered, "Check on Joey. I'll be right back." Bosco nodded.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco turned to go and check to see that Joey was asleep and covered. He opened the door slowly, the light from the hallway falling across Joey's face. He walked in and pulled the blanket up around him and turned to go when he was stopped by Joey's voice.  
  
"Daddy?" Joey said sleepily.  
  
"No, champ. It's Bosco," he answered. Joey propped his head up on his pillow and looked at this new man in his mother's life. He and Kim had talked about Bosco. He'd given it some thought and decided that Bosco wasn't so bad. His Mom seemed really happy when she was with him and he was more than decent to him.  
  
"Your Mom went to take Kayleigh home. She'll be back in a few minutes," Bosco whispered. "You okay?" Joey nodded.  
  
"So, how's Uncle Bobby's new girlfriend?" Joey asked him, as Bosco came back over to cover him up again.  
  
"She's nice," Bosco answered him. "Now go back to sleep or you're Mom'll have my head. You have a soccer game in the morning."  
  
"'Kay. G'night," Joey said, almost back to sleep before he put his head back on the pillow.  
  
"G'night, Joey," Bosco said, quietly pulling the door closed. He walked up the hallway to the living room and waited for Kim to return so that he could head home.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim quietly opened the door and walked into the apartment to find Bosco sleeping on her couch, sitting up with his head against the back of the couch. She locked the door and hung her coat on the hook by the door. She looked at him for a moment, watching how peaceful his face was when he was sleeping. She walked through to the hallway and checked on Joey who was fast asleep.  
  
She returned to the living room and walked over to where Bosco was sitting. She gently leaned over and kissed him. She felt him stir beneath her. He woke up and sat up.  
  
"Sorry, must've dozed off," he said, trying to shake the sleep. He stood up and started to grab his coat. "I'll give you a call tomorrow. Tell Joey I said good luck in his game tomorrow morning," he said, leaning over to give her a kiss goodnight. Again, she deepened the kiss and she heard him groan as he kissed her back. "You're not making this easy tonight," he said when they had stopped to take a breath.  
  
"Why don't you stay and go to the game with us in the morning? I'll make a big breakfast?" she offered.  
  
"You sure? What will Joey say when he wakes up and I'm in your bed?" Bosco asked.  
  
"I've already talked to him about us. He likes you. He knows I like you - a lot," she answered him and then began kissing him. "Besides, I don't think I could get to sleep tonight without a little, um..., time with you," she said, pulling him toward the hallway leading to her room.  
  
"I think I'd have some trouble falling asleep after those kisses too," he said, letting her drag him into her bedroom. 


	15. A Ride Home

"You're quiet." Bosco said as he drove down the streets towards Kim's place.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah. No. Sorry."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Not so much, no."  
  
"Did I do something to piss you off?"  
  
"No, you didn't."  
  
"Jimmy?"  
  
"No. I'm just a little worried about Bobby."  
  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
  
"It's his brother."  
  
"I didn't know he had one."  
  
"Yeah. Bobby's pretty closed mouthed when it comes to him. His name's Mateo, we all call him Matty. He got out right before Thanksgiving."  
  
"Rehab?"  
  
"Prison."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"He did a year at Riker's for theft."  
  
"How's he doing now?"  
  
"Great. At least he has been. I don't know anymore."  
  
"What happened Kim?"  
  
"Bosco, no offense or anything, but I'm not sure I should be talking about this with you."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Oh gee, let me think, Officer."  
  
"Kim, I'm not a cop right now. Right now, I'm a guy worried that his girlfriend is keeping too much inside."  
  
"You're always a cop. It's who you are."  
  
"I'm not always a cop."  
  
"Name one time when you didn't make a decision based on your profession."  
  
"When I held up two guys who tried to hold me up."  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"It happened a couple of weeks ago."  
  
"Oh my God." Kim started to laugh.  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
"Oddly enough, I do. Thank you for that." She giggled.  
  
"Wanna tell me about Matty and Bobby now?" He stopped the car in front of Kim's place.  
  
"You wanna come in?"  
  
"Sure." 


	16. Jealousy

Kim answered the knock on the door and saw Jimmy standing in front of her.  
  
"Kim, can I talk to you?" Jimmy said. Kim stepped aside and let him in her apartment.  
  
"What's the matter, Jimmy?" she asked, noticing the disturbed look on his face.  
  
"It's about Joey," Jimmy said.  
  
"What about Joey?" she asked, worry setting in.  
  
"I don't want him around Bosco anymore," Jimmy said, waiting for the inevitable.  
  
"What do you mean 'you don't want him around Bosco anymore'? Why?" she asked, getting upset, but trying to keep her cool.  
  
"Look. You know he's been having problems at school. He pushed that kid down and broke his arm. He started a FIRE in the boy's room for cryin' out loud, Kim," he said. "Obviously something's bothering him and I think it's your relationship with Bosco. I mean, the guy's nuts. Look how he is on the street. Where else do you think Joey's picking this stuff up?" he finished.  
  
"Look, Jimmy. I don't know where this is coming from, but Bosco is not the cause of Joey's problems at school. Bosco is nothing but kind around Joey - and around me for that matter. What you see of Bosco on the street is his 'protection'. You know all about not getting emotionally involved in your job or it eats you up. He sees people at their worst every day and that's the way he has to cope with it. When he's with me, Joey only sees us talking and laughing together. We don't fight, Jimmy. Bosco wouldn't do anything to hurt Joey. As a matter of fact I see them getting to be better friends every time they're together, which really isn't that often... Wait a minute. Are you jealous, Jimmy?" Kim asked him, finally figuring out what was going on.  
  
"What? No. Why would I be jealous of Bosco?" Jimmy scoffed at her.  
  
"I don't know, maybe you can tell me. Is it because he spends more time with him than you do right now?" she asked him sarcastically. "Is it because he doesn't take him to grocery stores and the park to use him as a pawn to pick up lonely women? Is it because he doesn't get his car taken away from him by loan sharks and have to walk home, late at night in the freezing cold?" Kim said.  
  
"Look, Jimmy. I've talked to Joey about those things at school. You and I both did, remember?" Kim said angrily.  
  
"Yeah, but..." he answered, only to be interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, and we got it straightened out. He understands what he did was wrong and he's not watching that wrestling crap anymore on TV. Right, Jimmy?" she said. Jimmy nodded his head.  
  
"It's just that..." he started again.  
  
"Jimmy," Kim said, calming down. "Sit down."  
  
They both sat on the couch. "Look. You're Joey's father and he loves you. No question. Bosco is NOT trying to take your place. He would never do that. Jimmy, you have to face it. Bosco is in my life and so he's in Joey's life. Joey sees me happy and how can that be bad? Jimmy, you have nothing to worry about here. Your place in Joey's life is secure - as long as you want it to be," she finished. Kim looked at her watch. "I've gotta go downstairs and get Joey off the bus. He's due home from school," she said, standing up.  
  
"Is it okay if I go get him? I'll take him out for some pizza with me. I'll take him back to my place and do his homework with him," he said, hoping that Kim would say yes.  
  
She thought for a moment. "Okay. But don't bring him back too late. It's been really hard getting him up for school in the morning," Kim said, sensing that Jimmy just needed reassurance of his place in Joey's life.  
  
She closed the door as Jimmy went to get Joey and watched out the window as the two walked down the sidewalk toward the pizza place.  
  
Joey looked back up at his mother and waved to her. She waved back as the phone rang. She walked over and answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"What are you wearing?" came Bosco's voice on the other end, trying to sound like a prank call.  
  
"Not a damn thing. Jimmy took Joey for pizza, so get over here," she joked back.  
  
All she heard on the other end was the click of Bosco hanging up the phone and then a dial tone. 


	17. A Question

Kim laughed as she got out of Bosco's car one afternoon in front of the police station. "That's a sick joke," she told him.  
  
"Yeah, but you laughed anyway." He teased.  
  
"I'm your girlfriend. I'm supposed to laugh at your stupid jokes." She grinned.  
  
"Your duty, right?"  
  
"You know it." She met him around the back of his car. "Am I gonna see you tonight?"  
  
"I promised my mom I'd help her do something at the bar. I think the pool table's broken or something. Wanna come with me?"  
  
"I've got Joey."  
  
"What? You can't bring him?"  
  
"I told him no bars till he was eight." Kim laughed.  
  
"Aw Mom!" Bosco teased her. "I'll call you in the morning okay? We can have breakfast or something."  
  
"Or something?" Kim rose her eyebrow.  
  
"Or something."  
  
"I would love that." Kim kissed him. "See ya later."  
  
"Bye." Bosco watched her head across the street before heading inside of the station.  
  
*#*#*#*#*#*  
  
"Kim, hey." Jimmy caught Kim before she headed up the stairs. "We have to talk about something."  
  
"Oh great. How long should I hold the check?"  
  
"What? No. The check's gold."  
  
"Good, cause I put it in the bank already."  
  
"This is about something else."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm not sure how you're gonna react to this."  
  
"I might surprise you. I'm feeling pretty good today." Kim smiled.  
  
"Right. Uh, Brooke and I got engaged. We're getting married."  
  
"Wow. That was fast."  
  
"We've been going out for about five months."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"That's only a little longer you and I dated.  
  
"Not the best example but okay. I think it's great. I'm sure you'll both be happy. I'll see you later." Kim went up the stairs past Jimmy.  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Hello?" Kim answered the phone.  
  
"How do you feel about pizza?"  
  
"For breakfast?" She giggled.  
  
"No I mean for dinner. I'm done early."  
  
"Oh I would love that but I'm afraid I'll be asleep by the time you get here. I am wiped."  
  
"So tomorrow?"  
  
"Absolutely. I'll come over after I get Joey to school."  
  
"Sounds good. Just let yourself in."  
  
"Okay. Bye." Kim said before they hung up.  
  
Just as she turned off the living room light her doorbell buzzed. She smiled and shook her head. Before she opened the door she looked through the peephole and her smile faded. She opened the door. "What?"  
  
"Can we talk?"  
  
"It's the middle of the night."  
  
"I know. Please?"  
  
Kim looked over her shoulder. "Okay, just for a sec."  
  
"Are you alone?"  
  
"Bosco's not here."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Look, I just came to say-" He broke off.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If you tell me not to, I won't get married."  
  
"What?"  
  
"If there's any chance for us, I need to know."  
  
"Jimmy, you can't do this."  
  
"Kim, I just want to know."  
  
She looked at him for a moment before she spoke. "Good night Jimmy." 


	18. Strange Behavior

Kim was at the phone, frantically dialing Bosco's cell phone and home phone. There was no answer at either number. She didn't hear Bobby walk up behind her.  
  
"Kim?" Bobby said, making Kim jump and drop the receiver.  
  
"Bobby!"  
  
"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you're alright," Bobby said, concern in his voice.  
  
"I can't find Bosco, Bobby," she said and Bobby could hear the genuine fear in her voice.  
  
"Kim...," he started only to be interrupted.  
  
"I can't find him, Bobby. I don't know if he's okay," she said, visibly trembling as she put another quarter in the payphone. "Where's Joey?" she asked him.  
  
"He's with Lombardo. He's okay," he answered as he walked over to her. "Kimmy, you gotta relax. He's fine. You would have heard. We would have seen him come in here if he got hurt. You've been on edge about something all day," Bobby said, trying to calm her down. She didn't want to comment on his last observation because she didn't know what to do about it.  
  
"No! They already had Jimmy and the two others here, along with two trauma patients from a traffic accident. They would have diverted to another, less busy ER," Kim said to him. He didn't know what else to tell her.  
  
"Did you call the Precinct?" he asked her. She nodded her head.  
  
"Yeah, they wouldn't give me any information," she said, slamming the phone back on the cradle at the sound of Bosco's answering machine again.  
  
"Look, Kim...," Bobby started when a nurse came up behind them.  
  
"Are you Kim?" she asked as they both turned to look at her. She nodded her head yes. "Mr. Doherty is out of surgery and awake. He's asking for you," she told Kim.  
  
"Um. Thank you," she said to the nurse. The nurse turned to leave and Kim stood there, wringing her hands.  
  
"Kim?" Bobby said. "Are you coming?"  
  
"Brooke's on her way. She'll be here any minute. I'm gonna take Joey home. He won't be able to see Jimmy yet anyway," Kim said.  
  
"Kim. Jimmy's asking for you," he said, not believing that she was going to just leave without seeing him.  
  
"He doesn't need me. He needs Brooke. Here she comes now," Kim said, watching Brooke come rushing through the door. She spotted Kim and came over to her.  
  
"How is he? What happened?" Brooke said, out of breath.  
  
"He was at a fire and some psycho started shooting. Jimmy got shot. He just came out of surgery and he's awake. So, you should be able to go in and see him," Kim answered her.  
  
"Thanks for calling me. I just got into work and got the message and came right over," Brooke said gratefully.  
  
"No problem. Tell Jimmy I'll bring Joey by tomorrow when he's feeling a little better," Kim said as she started to walk back into the waiting room to get Joey.  
  
Bobby followed her into the waiting room, still wondering what the hell was going on. "You're just gonna leave. Just like that?"  
  
"Bobby, I can't talk about this now. Please. I just need to get Joey and take him home. Jimmy's in good hands," she said, watching Brooke follow a nurse back to the recovery room. "If Bosco comes in or calls, please call me at home," she said, putting Joey's jacket on him and taking his hand to walk out.  
  
Bobby looked after her, stunned. D.K. walked up to Bobby. "She okay?" D.K. asked.  
  
"You got me," Bobby answered, knowing that something was up. 


	19. Thank God

"Thank God." Kim said when she opened her door and saw Bosco's jacket on the hook of the closet door. "Bos?"  
  
"Right here Kim." He said coming out of the bedroom in sweatpants and a T- shirt.  
  
"Stay." She told him before carrying Joey into his room. She emerged a few minutes later and just hugged him. "I tried to call you a million times."  
  
"I know. I just got my cell phone back."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I left it in my locker this morning. I tried calling the house but they said you were down at the hospital." Bosco said pushing Kim's hair out of her face.  
  
"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure Jimmy was okay. I think I must have put at least ten dollars into the payphone trying to reach you. You're gonna have a million messages from me on your machine." She told him.  
  
"Is he?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jimmy. Is he okay?"  
  
"Yeah. They said he came out of surgery just fine. I left right after Brooke got there. What about the shooter?"  
  
"He really was a fireman. He was fired last year for erratic behavior."  
  
"Where is he now?" Kim asked as they sat down on the couch.  
  
"Morgue."  
  
"What? Bos, did you-"  
  
"No. He shot himself. Faith, Sully, Davis, and I were holding our guns on him and instead of dropping the gun like we told him he shot himself."  
  
Kim didn't say anything, she just hugged him. "I'm so glad you're okay." She told him. "I got so scared when I couldn't get a hold of you."  
  
"I'm okay Kim."  
  
"I know." She said quietly. She pulled back. "Can we go to bed? I just want to fall asleep with you."  
  
"I like that idea." Bosco said.  
  
"Me too." 


	20. Distracted

"You've been pretty quiet all day. What's up?" Bobby asked Kim as they were walking out of the station after their shift. They had worked a day shift so that Kim could pick up Joey after school and bring him over to see Jimmy. Bobby had offered to work the switch with her and give her a ride to the hospital and then home again. Besides, he wanted to check out a certain nurse while he was there.  
  
"Nothing," Kim replied absently, looking across the street to see that Bosco's car was there. "Must be getting ready to start his shift," she thought to herself.  
  
///////////////////  
  
She thought back to that morning when they woke up together. She hadn't been able to concentrate on making love with him last night. He was good about it, said he understood, but she didn't believe him. She slept fitfully, unable to forget what Jimmy had said to her the night before he was shot. She remembered lying there, watching Bosco sleep until she finally got up, afraid of waking him with her restlessness. He'd finally woke up at 7:00 and reached for her only to find that he was alone. He pulled on his pants and walked out to find her in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee and staring out the window.  
  
"What's wrong, Kim?" he'd asked her. She hadn't heard him come out and she jumped slightly at his voice behind her. "Are you still upset about last night? I'm okay, Kim. If not, I would've had someone call you if I couldn't do it myself," he explained again to her.  
  
"I know," she said, turning and placing a hand on the side of his face. "It's nothing. I just couldn't sleep and I didn't want to keep you awake," she said to him, not knowing if she should tell him that Jimmy had come over the night before to ask her if there was a chance that they could get back together. "I'm sorry about last night," she said to him. "I was just really stressed, I guess," she half-lied to him.  
  
"It's okay," he said, kissing her neck from behind and looking out at the sunny day.  
  
///////////////////////////  
  
"Kim!" Bobby called to her again, bringing her back to the present. She looked over at him. "Are you coming or are you gonna just stand there all afternoon?" Bobby said, with a confused look on his face. He had told her he'd give her a ride over to pick up Joey and bring them to the hospital and back home when they were finished visiting Jimmy.  
  
"Could you do me a really big favor, Bobby?" she asked him.  
  
"Sure," he said. "What is it?"  
  
"Um. could you pick up Joey from my Mom's and bring him over to see Jimmy?" she said quickly.  
  
"What? Aren't you going over to see him?" Bobby asked. "He was asking for you last night and you left before you talked to him."  
  
"I know. Brooke was there. It wasn't right for me to be there with him," she answered defensively.  
  
"Of course it was right for you to be there. You're the mother of his child. His ex-wife," Bobby said.  
  
"It's more complicated than that, Bobby," she said, looking away and he immediately knew she wasn't telling him something.  
  
"What happened, Kim?" He asked her, taking her by the arm and turning her to face him.  
  
"I don't know if I should talk about it," Kim said, averting his eyes.  
  
"Kim, what happened?" he asked again. She paused for a moment and looked toward the police station again, where Bosco was working. "Kimmy," Bobby urged her.  
  
"The night before he got shot." she started and then stopped, tears springing to her eyes. Bobby looked at her for a moment while she regained her composure. "He came over to my apartment really late," she said, looking at Bobby and seeing the look on his face. "Nothing happened, Bobby," she said quickly. "Nothing. He said he wanted to know if he should marry Brooke."  
  
"What?!" Bobby said, shocked. "He wanted to know if YOU thought HE should marry BROOKE?" he repeated to her.  
  
She just nodded. "He told me that if I told him there was a chance that we'd get back together, he wouldn't marry her," she said.  
  
"Oh man," Bobby said. "What'd you tell him?" Bobby said, not really sure he wanted to know.  
  
"I made him leave. I didn't tell him anything, but he could see that I was upset," Kim said, a tear falling down her face. "Bobby, I don't know whether I should tell Bosco."  
  
"Well, if Jimmy said he definitely wanted to get back together, what would you do, Kim?" he asked her. 


	21. An Answer

Kim slowly walked down the hall towards Jimmy's room. It'd been a week since he'd been shot and last night Joey had said that Jimmy kept asking about her since Bobby was the one who'd been bringing Joey to see him in the hospital. It was late but she didn't want to wait till tomorrow to talk to him. She opened the door to his room and was glad to see he was alone.  
  
"Jimmy?"  
  
His eyes fluttered open. "Hey. I was wondering when you were gonna show."  
  
She closed the door behind her and stood at the end of his bed. "Joey said you'd been asking about me."  
  
"Yeah." Jimmy nodded. "I asked for you the other night. You never came."  
  
"Brooke was there."  
  
"I wanted you."  
  
Kim looked away. "Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've been doing some thinking Jimmy about what you asked me the other night. I didn't really give you an answer. If you still want one, I've got one now."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"That's it. Just 'no'?"  
  
"Yeah that's it."  
  
"Kim."  
  
"Don't okay? I gave this a lot of thought and I have no desire to revisit our relationship. I can't trust you Jimmy."  
  
"I know and I'm still sorry about that."  
  
"It doesn't change anything."  
  
"What about Joey?"  
  
"What about Joey?"  
  
"Have you considered him in this?"  
  
"Yeah I have. His mother is happy and up until a week ago his father was supposedly happy. It doesn't matter if they're not happy together. I think it's better for him for his parents to be happy apart then to be miserable and fighting together, don't you?"  
  
"He deserves a whole family."  
  
"He has one. We're a little fractured, who isn't?"  
  
"Kim, I still love you."  
  
"I don't love you. Not that way. Not anymore." Kim smiled sadly. "I'll see you later Jimmy."  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
Kim stopped in mid stride when she saw Bosco on her front steps.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He looked up. "Hi."  
  
"Why are you out here?"  
  
"Wasn't sure you'd want me inside."  
  
"We've been a little distant lately, huh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I've been a little distant lately." She admitted.  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
"Bos, there's a reason."  
  
"I figured. Look, Kim if this is because you've decided that you can't be in a relationship with a cop, okay, I can take that. If you've decided you still love Jimmy, I can sort of handle that too. I just need to know."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I love you. That's what I've been doing this past week. Before he was shot, Jimmy asked me if there was any hope for us. I just came from telling him no. Now, I'm telling you why. I love you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Kim nodded.  
  
"That's good cause this past week, I've been thinking that I was losing you and it made me realize that I love you too."  
  
"Good." 


	22. Straightening Out

"Yeah, I'm just gonna change and then I'll be home. So, do you need anything from the store?" Bosco asked Kim at the end of his shift.  
  
"Well, I'm getting a little low on ginger-ale if you don't mind stopping to get some. I think I'm gonna try giving Joey a little bit to see if it settles his stomach at all," Kim replied. She had to take the day off from work because Joey was home sick.  
  
"Sure. How's the little guy doing anyway?" Bosco asked. He was there last night when Joey had come into Kim's room saying he didn't feel good. He'd had a fever and then started throwing up. Bosco helped to take care of Joey while Kim was changing the sheets on Joey's bed after he got sick all over the place. It didn't seem to bother him that Bosco was there.  
  
"He stopped throwing up at least. Now he's just wiped out," Kim told him.  
  
"Okay, so that's all? Just ginger-ale? Did you have anything to eat today?" Bosco asked her, knowing she probably didn't.  
  
"I had a half a sandwich earlier. I'm not really hungry. I'm beat," she told him, trying to stifle a yawn.  
  
"Okay. I'll stop at the store and then I'll be over. I won't stay so you can get some rest. You gotta work tomorrow?"  
  
"If Joey's okay for school, yeah," she replied.  
  
"Okay, see you in a few," he said, hanging up the phone.  
  
"Joey feeling any better?" Faith asked her partner.  
  
"A little. I gotta stop and get some ginger-ale for him to try. Then I'm heading home. I'm beat. Boy, taking care of kids is hard work," he said, looking over at Faith.  
  
"You have no idea," Faith replied, lightly punching Bosco in the arm.  
  
"I'm beginning to get an idea. But, I kinda like it," Bosco said as they went into the locker room to change.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco had changed and was headed out of the station to go to his car. He walked down the steps and sensed someone in the shadows. Bosco unconsciously reached for his off-duty weapon at his side and rested his hand on the butt of the gun.  
  
"Police. Who's there?" Bosco asked into the darkness. The figure stepped out of the shadows and Bosco relaxed. "Jimmy, man. What are you doin' here? I thought you were in the hospital. Are you okay?" Bosco asked, taking in his appearance.  
  
"I'm fine. I got out of the hospital yesterday," Jimmy replied, a pained expression on his face.  
  
"Should you be up and around yet? You want a lift to your apartment?" Bosco offered.  
  
"No. I wanted to talk to you. Kim came to see me. We had a talk about our futures," Jimmy said.  
  
"Yeah. I know. She told me," Bosco said, walking over to Jimmy, taking a closer look at him and noticing the perspiration on his face. "Look, Jimmy. You should really be at home or something," Bosco said, worried that Jimmy was about to keel over.  
  
"In a minute. I want you to know that I don't like that she's with you," Jimmy said.  
  
"Well, I don't think we asked for your permission, Jimmy. Kim's a big girl," Bosco said, trying to be sensitive to Jimmy's feelings, but getting angry just the same.  
  
"I don't want her to get hurt. And I don't want Joey to get hurt," Jimmy said.  
  
"That's not my plan," Bosco replied coolly. "Look, Jimmy," he said. "I thought you were with Brooke now. So, why the sudden interest in patching things up with Kim?"  
  
"I am with Brooke. We're getting married in a little while, but I just wanted to be sure- I needed to be sure. I still have feelings for Kim," Jimmy said, suddenly having to lean against the building for support. Bosco stepped closer, thinking that Jimmy was gonna go down in a heap.  
  
"Jimmy. Kim still has feelings for you too. She talked to me about it. They're just different than the feelings she had when you two were together. She'll always have feelings for you. You're the father of her child. You have a history. I understand that. I can live with that. Now, let me drive you home or to the hospital before you pass out here on the sidewalk," Bosco said, really worried at how pale Jimmy was.  
  
Bosco walked up to Jimmy and put out a hand. Jimmy took it and Bosco helped him to his car. After getting Jimmy in the car, Bosco started to close the door, but Jimmy stopped him.  
  
"You're not Joey's father," Jimmy said.  
  
"I know that, Man," Bosco replied. "He's already got one. I'm not trying to take your place with him, Jimmy. Never," he finished, closing the door and walking around to the driver's door.  
  
Jimmy gave Bosco Brooke's address and he drove him over there. "Is Brooke home?" Bosco asked as he pulled up to the curb outside of her apartment.  
  
"She should be, unless she got tied up on an arrest or something," Jimmy said.  
  
"Alright, sit tight while I find out if she's home. I'm not leaving you there by yourself," Bosco said, getting out of the car and walking up the steps. He rang the bell next to Brooke's name on the panel and got a response. A moment later, Brooke was down on the front steps and helping Bosco bring Jimmy upstairs.  
  
"Jimmy! I was so worried when I got home and you weren't here. I called the hospital to see if you had gone back because you were having problems. Where the heck were you, Jimmy?" Brooke asked him, the fear still in her voice. "Where did you find him?"  
  
"He came to see me at the station. We had a little talk," Bosco explained, while they got Jimmy up to the apartment and put him on the couch. "We got some things out in the open. Now, I think he just needs to get some rest," Bosco said, walking over to the door and looking back at Jimmy who'd fallen asleep where they had placed him.  
  
"You want help getting him into bed?" Bosco asked.  
  
Brooke came over to him. "No, I'll let him rest there for a little bit first. Thanks for bringing him home, Bosco," Brooke said. "What did you two talk about?" she asked, wondering what he had to discuss with Bosco besides Kim.  
  
"He wanted to make sure that I understood he wouldn't tolerate me hurting Joey," Bosco said, skipping over the conversation about Kim. She didn't need to hear that - at least not from him.  
  
"Oh, and what did you tell him," Brooke asked.  
  
"I told him that Joey only has one father and I'm not looking to interfere with that. Sure, I like Joey, but I'd never try to get in the way of Jimmy and Joey," Bosco said, putting his hand on the doorknob and opening the door.  
  
"Thanks again," Brooke said. Bosco nodded and headed back down the stairs.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco used his key to open the door to Kim's apartment. He set the ginger- ale on the counter in the kitchen and walked down the hallway to see where Kim was. He found her asleep in the chair next to Joey's bed and gently touched her shoulder. She woke up and saw that Bosco was there. She looked over at the clock on Joey's nightstand and said, "Where've you been?"  
  
"I had to make a stop along the way. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Ginger-ale's on the counter. You want me to sit with him while you get some sleep?" Bosco asked.  
  
"No. I think he's over the worst of it. I'm gonna go to sleep in my room. Care to join me?" Kim asked, standing up and giving Bosco a hug.  
  
"I'm pretty tired too. I think I'm gonna head home so you two can get some rest. Call me tomorrow when you can," Bosco said, giving Kim a kiss and looking at Joey to see that he was still sleeping. When he was assured that Joey was asleep, he wrapped his arms around Kim and gave her a deep, passionate kiss. When they separated, Kim was out of breath.  
  
"What was that for?" Kim asked him.  
  
"For being such a great Mom," Bosco said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Get some rest. You look like crap," he teased.  
  
Kim followed him out to the door. "Thanks for the compliment," she said as she kissed him good-bye and closed the door behind him.  
  
She checked on Joey one last time and then headed into her room to collapse on the bed, hoping for a solid night's sleep.  
  
*^*^*  
  
Bosco got in his car and looked up at Kim's apartment. He watched as she turned the lights out and then drove away toward his apartment. 


	23. Considerations

"Faith?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you think I'd make a good step-father?" Bosco looked at his partner as he drove her home. Kim was at her mother's with Joey for the night. It was Mrs. Zambrano's birthday.  
  
"What?" Faith stared at him.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Uh yeah I do. I think you'd make a great stepfather. Are you and Kim."  
  
"No. Not yet. I haven't talked to her about it yet."  
  
"You're seriously thinking about it though?"  
  
"Yeah I am. But I don't know about her."  
  
"Are you gonna see her tonight?"  
  
"It's her mom's birthday. She and Joey are over there."  
  
Faith nodded. "You're gonna ask her aren't you?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't know if she's even thought about it. She might just want to keep dating for the rest of our lives."  
  
"Ask her Bos. I've seen you two together. She'll say yes."  
  
"Can I quote you on that?"  
  
"Yes." Faith smiled.  
  
(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Kim?"  
  
"Yeah Mom?"  
  
"You didn't bring Maurice along. Why not?"  
  
Kim smiled. She still found it a little funny when someone called Bosco, Maurice. "He got held up on the job. Besides I thought this might be to family oriented for him."  
  
"We've had him over before."  
  
"I know." Kim smiled.  
  
"So, how long have you two been together again?" Her mother asked.  
  
"About a year now." Kim said. "Mom? I know where you're going with this."  
  
"Good." Catherine Zambrano said. "So?"  
  
"I've thought about it. I won't lie about that."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I haven't brought it up. I mean I thought about it even before Jimmy said he and Brooke were getting married but I'm afraid he'll think if I do bring it up now that it's a reaction to Jimmy's actions."  
  
"How is he anyway?"  
  
"Jimmy? Fine, I guess. He went home the other day. He's still got a few more weeks till he's back at work although knowing Jimmy, he'll probably be back sooner then the doctors think is a good idea."  
  
"Joey likes him, right?"  
  
"Jimmy? Yeah he's rather fond of him."  
  
"I meant Maurice." Catherine said.  
  
"Yeah, Joey likes him. I wouldn't have stayed this long if Joey didn't no matter how I felt about him."  
  
"So why don't you bring it up to Maurice?"  
  
"What if he's not ready and I scare him away?"  
  
"Then maybe he was never going to stay in the first place." 


	24. Babysitting

"Sure, I'll pick him up," Bosco said on the phone. He listened for a moment and then replied, "Kim, it's not a problem for me as long as it's okay with him. The school will let me take him, right?"  
  
He listened to her response and then said, "Okay, just don't forget to call them. I don't feel like getting carted off to jail for kidnapping," he joked. "Three o'clock, right? Okay, bye."  
  
Bosco hung up the phone and looked at his watch. It was his day off, but Kim had gotten stuck working a shift for someone she owed. She had swapped a day so that they could go away for a weekend and now that person needed a payback. Kim had called because it Jimmy was stuck on overtime at a really heavy fire and she couldn't reach her Mom. So, Bosco was to pick Joey up from school, bring him to Kim's, get him something to eat and have him start on his homework. Jimmy would come over to relieve him when he got off work. He suddenly had a thought and dialed the phone.  
  
"Hello?" came the familiar voice from the other end.  
  
"Faith, it's me," Bosco said into the phone. "You gotta help me," he said, desperation in his voice.  
  
"Bosco? What's the matter?" Faith asked with concern at the sound of his voice.  
  
"I've gotta pick up Joey because Kim's working and Doherty's stuck at a fire. What the hell does a kid eat?" he asked her.  
  
After she got done laughing for a minute, she replied, "Bosco, you're just a big kid. What do you like to eat?"  
  
"Very funny, Faith. I dunno- Pizza, McDonald's, stuff like that," he replied, sounding insulted.  
  
"There you go. He'll love either of those things," she said to him.  
  
"Okay, if you're sure. Hey, is Fred gonna be home tonight?" he asked, another thought popping into his head.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Faith replied.  
  
"Well, I've gotta get him started on his homework and what if I don't know how to do something?" he said.  
  
"Bosco, he's in like 3rd grade, right? How hard could it be?" she said to him.  
  
"Just in case, make sure Emily stays off the phone."  
  
"Bosco, relax. You'll be fine. But, we'll be home if you need us," she assured him.  
  
"Okay, bye," he said.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco pulled up in front of the school at about 2:50. He parked the car and walked in the front door and followed the sign to the office.  
  
"Can I help you, Sir?" asked the elderly woman behind the desk.  
  
"Uh, I hope so. My name is Maurice Boscorelli. I'm here to pick up Joey Doherty from school. His mom, Kim Zambrano, was supposed to call you. She's working and Joey's Dad is stuck working overtime at a fire," Bosco explained.  
  
"Oh, yes, Mr. Boscorelli. I have the note right here," the woman smiled. "We advised Joey's teacher to have him come to the office to meet you so you don't miss each other in the shuffle of the hallways when school lets out."  
  
Bosco nodded and said, "Thanks. I'll just sit over here, then."  
  
"That's fine," the woman said, giving him another smile.  
  
Bosco took a seat and waited about five minutes when he heard the final bell ring and the sounds of children being set free from their confines.  
  
After a couple of minutes, Joey walked into the office with his teacher. Bosco stood up as Joey caught sight of him.  
  
"Hey, buddy. How was your day?" he asked the boy.  
  
"Good. How come you're here and I'm not taking the bus home? Is my Mom and Dad okay?" he asked, a worried look coming over his face.  
  
"Yeah, absolutely fine, Joey. Mom's working and your Dad's working overtime at a big fire, so your Mom called and asked me to pick you up. Is that okay?" Bosco asked, not knowing what he'd do if the boy said no.  
  
"Cool," he said. Joey looked up at his teacher and said, "This is my Mom's boyfriend. He's a cop." Joey stood there with a proud look on his face.  
  
"Well, you certainly have a wonderful group of people around you. They all have very important jobs. You have a good night Joey and I'll see you tomorrow," his teacher replied and then looked over at Bosco.  
  
"You look a little nervous. Are you okay?" she asked him.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. No problem," he said. She smiled and nodded her head.  
  
"Okay, but just in case he lets it "slip" his mind, he has a math test tomorrow that he needs to study for," she warned him.  
  
"Math? Okay, thanks for letting me know," Bosco said, looking down at Joey.  
  
"Let's hit it big guy," Bosco said as the two turned and walked out the front door of the school.  
  
The teacher turned to the elderly woman in the office and said, "Is it me or did that man have that 'deer in the headlights' look?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. He's in serious trouble. Kids smell fear," replied the woman with a smile.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco had just gotten Joey down to sleep and was sleepily watching the ball game when the phone rang. He reached to grab it before it woke up Joey, glancing at his watch at the same time. It was 9:30 and there was no sign of Jimmy yet.  
  
"Hello?" he answered and heard Kim's voice on the other end.  
  
"Hey. Sorry I didn't call you sooner. How are things going there? I'm really sorry you've been stuck there all night," she said apologetically.  
  
"No problem. It was fun," he said, only half lying. He actually had gotten a kick out of spending the time with Joey. "Everything okay? I haven't heard from Jimmy."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's because the idiot had a ceiling collapse on him and he's at Mercy with D.K. and Billy Walsh, who were with him," Kim said.  
  
"Ouch. A little compassion woman. Is everyone okay?" Bosco asked.  
  
"Yeah, they're just getting checked out. If anything, maybe it knocked a little sense into the three of them," she said. "Tell Joey it's time for bed and I'll be home as soon as I can."  
  
"No problem. He's already in bed. He had dinner, did his homework, took a shower and it's lights out. He's sound asleep," Bosco said proudly.  
  
"Wow! Will you marry me?" Kim said, teasing him. Bosco didn't say anything, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Faith about that very topic.  
  
"Yeah, you wish," he said finally. "I don't come cheap you know."  
  
"So I've heard," she said jokingly. "I'm really sorry, Bosco. I'll get there as soon as I can," she said, apologizing again.  
  
"Kim. It's not a problem. I'm just watching the game, which is what I'd be doing at home anyway. Don't worry about it. Be careful and I'll see you when you get home," he said. 


	25. Agreeing

"Bos?" Kim called across the street after shift.  
  
He looked up and smiled. "Hey."  
  
She crossed the street and hugged him. "Hi. How ya doing?"  
  
"Good. You look exhausted."  
  
"After that, it's hard not to be. You wanna go for a drink? Bobby wanted me to ask."  
  
"I actually wanted to be alone with you. There's something I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
"Alone is good. Go for dinner?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Alright. We just have to meet them at sunrise out at Coney Island."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Part of the plan."  
  
"Okay. We'll do it but let's get out of here before-"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Bobby comes out." Bosco finished.  
  
"Bobby. Hey. We're gonna go for something to eat." Kim said. "We're tired but we'll meet you guys out at Coney Island. Promise."  
  
"Uh-uh."  
  
"What?" Bosco stared.  
  
"You two need drinks."  
  
"No really."  
  
"Come on." Bobby said. "Davis, ride with them. We're going to Haggerty's."  
  
"Okay." The cop said agreeably.  
  
"Bobby-"  
  
"No hablas mas." Bobby grinned.  
  
Kim shot him a look and then pulled the front seat forward so Davis could climb in. "We'll see you there." She said to Bobby.  
  
"Cool."  
  
^#^#^#^#^#^#^#^#^  
  
"How did this happen? I thought we were gonna have a drink and then sneak out. How did we end up giving rides to Jimmy and Carlos?" Bosco asked Kim as they waited for Jimmy and Carlos to come back from the bowling alley's bathroom.  
  
"We're too nice." Kim said.  
  
"Yeah that's it."  
  
"Hey, what did you wanna talk about?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Kim looked over at him. "You said before you wanted to talk to me about something. We're alone. What's up?"  
  
"Oh." Bosco didn't know what to say. This was not how he planned to ask Kim if she ever thought about marrying him. "It can wait till we get home."  
  
"Bos, just tell me. What's the big deal?"  
  
"I just wanted to be alone with you for a little while longer."  
  
"Is it going to be a long conversation?"  
  
"It might be."  
  
"Okay Bosco, what's going on?"  
  
He sighed. Kim wasn't letting this go. "Do you remember what you said to me on the phone when I was watching Joey that day?"  
  
"Uh I'll be home soon?"  
  
"No. You said, 'Will you marry me?'"  
  
"Oh. I did, didn't I?" Kim bit her lip. "Did I make you uncomfortable with that? Cause it was just a joke."  
  
"Not to me."  
  
"Bos?"  
  
"I was thinking about it. I have been thinking about it and I think we should seriously think about it. I'm not asking you to marry me tomorrow or even next week but I do want to marry you Kim."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good?"  
  
"Yeah." She smiled at him. "Cause I've been thinking about it myself and I think marrying you would be a good thing."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"So, we're thinking seriously about this?"  
  
"We are." 


	26. Done Thinking

Bosco was driving Faith home after a long shift. It was cold and rainy and they were both chilled to the bone from it.  
  
"Bos, can you turn the heat up a little?" Faith asked him, shaking off a chill.  
  
"It's up all the way," he said, checking the levers again. "It's gonna take a few more minutes for it to heat up all the way in here."  
  
"We'll be at my apartment by then," she said, sarcastically.  
  
"So, maybe I should have let you walk home in the rain," he replied back, just as sarcastically. He could feel her stare on him even though he wasn't looking at her. "What?!" he asked, innocently, but somewhat agitated.  
  
"You know, you've been a jerk the whole night, Bos. What's the problem?" she asked.  
  
"Nothin'. No problem. And I have NOT been a jerk all night," he said indignantly, swearing as someone in the lane next to him flew through a large puddle swamping his car. He had to slow down until the wipers caught up with the water that was poured over his windshield. "What an ass!" he yelled out to the driver who was already gone.  
  
"Bos, something's up. I can tell just by the look on your face," she persisted. She knew that pushing him would eventually make him spill it. "So, just tell me and be done with it."  
  
"Faith, stop being so nosy. There's nothing wrong," he insisted, as the car sputtered and stalled. "Shit!" he said, coasting to the side of the road. He tried a few times to re-start the car. He popped the hood lever, pulled his hood up and swiftly got out of the car, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Perfect," Faith mumbled to herself as she watched him checking under the hood through the crack between the hood and the car.  
  
He tinkered a few more minutes and then called to her, "Try it now!" She reached over and turned the key and the engine almost started. He tinkered with something else and told her to try it again. This time, the engine fired and Bosco returned to the car, dripping from the downpour outside.  
  
"All fixed?" Faith said.  
  
"Obviously," he replied back to her.  
  
"You know what!? Fine! Don't tell me, but I'm walking home from here and when I'm not at work tomorrow because I have pneumonia, maybe you'll come to the hospital and tell me why you're being such an ass!" she yelled, opening the door and getting out of the car. She walked about half a block before Bosco caught up to her with the car. He reached over and opened the door.  
  
"Faith, get in the car!" he yelled out to her. She stopped and looked at him.  
  
"Are you gonna tell me what crawled up your ass?" she asked him.  
  
"Alright, just get in! I don't want to listen to Fred when you get sick!" he said, finally giving in. She walked over and got in the car. She sat sort of sideways in the seat looking at him, waiting for him to tell her what was going on. He let out a big sigh, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box. "I'm having dinner with Kim tonight," he said, pausing to look at the box. "And I'm gonna give her this," he said, handing the box over to Faith.  
  
Faith's eyes lit up and she said, "Turn on the light!" She opened the box, as Bosco turned on the dome light of the car. "Oh, Bos! It's beautiful! Does she know this is coming?"  
  
"Well, we talked about a while ago and we both agreed to think seriously about it. I'm done thinking," Bosco said, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah?" was all she could say for a moment as she looked at the ring. "Well, I think she'll love it, Bos. And I'm really happy for you both," she said, her eyes welling up.  
  
"Faith! Don't start crying," he said.  
  
"So, this is what you were nervous about all night?" she asked him, closing the box and handing it back to him.  
  
"What if she says no?" he said, voicing his concerns.  
  
"I don't think she will, Bos. You said you both talked about it and both decided it was a good idea. So, as long as nothing's changed between the two of you, then go for it," she said, offering her advice. Bosco thought for a moment then pulled the car away from the curb to continue on to Faith's apartment without saying anything. Faith had butterflies for him. "Please don't let him get hurt," she thought to herself, hoping that Kim did feel the same way as Bosco. "He needs to be happy finally."  
  
"Well, here you go," Bosco said, pulling up to the curb in front of her building.  
  
"You wanna come up and get dried off?" she offered.  
  
"Nah. I'm gonna go home and get showered and changed. I'm picking up Kim at the firehouse and then we're going for a late dinner."  
  
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Good luck," she said, leaning over and giving him a hug.  
  
"Thanks. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said as she closed the door. He watched her get safely into her building and pulled away heading home. 


	27. Will You?

"Whoa! Kim, will you marry me?" Carlos said once he got a look at the dress the fellow paramedic was wearing.  
  
"Uh-uh. I want her. I've known her longer." Billy Walsh said coming out of the living room to get a better look at Kim.  
  
"She's my best friend. I get first dibs on marrying her." Bobby teased.  
  
"Are you guys done now?" Kim rolled her eyes.  
  
"Just teasing Kim. Boscorelli's a lucky guy." Billy said before he rejoined the guys in the living room.  
  
"Seriously, you look good Kim." Carlos said with a smile before he went upstairs to change.  
  
"Thanks." Kim said before she looked at Bobby. "Well?"  
  
"You are wearing something over that right?"  
  
Kim rolled her eyes again and picked up the sweater she'd put on the chair and wrapped it around her body before putting her jacket on. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Night." Bobby said with a smile.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco looked at his watch and then at the entrance to the firehouse. He smiled when he saw Kim exiting. He flashed his lights to let her know where he was and she headed towards him.  
  
She opened the door and got in. "Hi." She smiled and kissed him.  
  
"Hi." He said when they parted. "Good day?"  
  
"Okay. No fatalities."  
  
"That's always good. Hungry?"  
  
"Starving."  
  
"Good." He said pulling into traffic and heading to a restaurant he and Kim had agreed on earlier. "So, anything happen today?"  
  
"I got a few marriage proposals."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I came down, I wasn't wearing the sweater that goes over this dress yet so a couple of the guys decided to act like children and tease me."  
  
"Oh." Bosco said, forcing his pulse rate to slow down.  
  
"So, what about you? How was your day?"  
  
"Eh, pretty slow."  
  
"Slime ball population a no-show huh?"  
  
"Yeah something like that." He smiled.  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
  
"You want another glass of wine?"  
  
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Kim teased.  
  
"Yeah, you're easier to take advantage of then."  
  
"Haha. No, I'm good."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You can have more. I'll drive home."  
  
"You know, I think I just want some coffee."  
  
"Sounds good." Kim looked around. "Do you see our waiter?"  
  
"Is that him over there?"  
  
Kim turned to look and when she turned back around there was a little box in front of her. She looked at Bosco. He was looking at her.  
  
She tucked her hair behind her ear and picked up the box. She slowly popped it open. "Oh my God," escaped from her lips as she looked at it. She looked at Bosco. "Does this mean what I think it means?"  
  
"I'm done thinking Kim. Will you marry me? I'll get down on one knee if you want me too."  
  
"You don't have to."  
  
"Will you? Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes." She said simply.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." She laughed. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I'll marry you Maurice."  
  
Bosco got out of the chair and pulled Kim to her feet. He took the ring and put it on her finger. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too." 


	28. Coming Clean Yet Again

"Okay, I'm here. What'd you want to talk to me about?" Jimmy asked Kim as he settled in the booth across from her in the coffee shop.  
  
"Good, and you?" Kim said sarcastically.  
  
"Sorry. I'm good. How are you?" Jimmy said apologetically.  
  
"I'm good. In fact, I'm really good. I wanted to talk to you before I talked to Joey or anyone else. I thought it was only fair, since you did the same for me," Kim said.  
  
"Okay, I'm starting to get worried. Is Joey okay? Are you okay?" he asked her.  
  
"Yeah, Joey and I are both fine, Jimmy," she answered, pausing to take a drink of her coffee with her right hand as the waitress brought a cup for Jimmy.  
  
"So?" he said, urging her on and making eye contact with her.  
  
"Well," she said. "I just wanted to let you know that Bosco asked me to marry him and I said 'yes,'" she finished, moving her left hand from her lap to the table.  
  
Jimmy slowly moved his eyes from her eyes to her hand and took in the sight of the ring on her finger.  
  
"Um, Kimmy," Jimmy stammered, trying to come up with something to say. He hadn't expected this. "It's kind of fast, isn't it?" he finally managed to get out. "You aren't pregnant, are you?" he said, and then immediately regretted it when he saw the angry look come across Kim's face.  
  
"No, I'm not pregnant! I learned my lesson the last time. And, no, I don't think it's 'kind of fast'. We've been dating for quite a while if you'll recall and we've thought long and hard about it. We've discussed it a lot and we love each other, Jimmy. Why can't you just be happy for me?" Kim said.  
  
"I'm sorry. I was out of line with that comment about being pregnant," Jimmy apologized. "But, Bosco? Are you sure, Kimmy? He can be a real ass," he said.  
  
"Yeah, well there's a lot of that going around I guess. Look, I'm not gonna get into this with you. I just wanted to give you the courtesy of letting you know before anyone else told you. Now, I'm gonna be late for work, and so are you I might add," she said, putting money on the table for the coffee and standing up to leave.  
  
Jimmy stood up and put a hand on her arm. "Kim," he said, gently pulling her around to face him. "I'm sorry. You're right. I guess I gotta believe you know what you're doing. It's just that I don't want to see you getting hurt. I did enough of that to you over the years. And, I also want to make sure that Joey's not gonna get hurt," he added.  
  
"Joey's not gonna get hurt and I DO know what I'm doing. If you just gave yourself a chance to get to know Bosco on a level besides him being a cop, I'm sure you'd see it too. Besides, he's gonna be part of Joey's family so you really should make the effort to be on better terms with him," she said, hoping to get through to him.  
  
"Look, I'll try. That's all I can say," Jimmy said. He let go of her arm and opened his arms. "Congratulations, Kimmy. I hope you're both very happy together. I only wish you the best."  
  
She hesitated a moment and realized that he was being sincere and moved in to return the hug to him. After they'd parted, Jimmy asked her, "So, when are you gonna tell Joey?"  
  
"Probably tomorrow when he wakes up. It's Saturday and that way if he has any questions, we have all day to talk about it. You gonna be around in case he wants to talk to you?" Kim asked.  
  
"Um," he said, thinking about what he had going on tomorrow. "I should be, but if I have to go out, I'll have my cell phone. You have that number, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Okay, well, I guess I should get going," she said turning to leave. Jimmy sat down to finish his coffee and let her leave ahead of him. He was both glad and sad about her getting married again. It meant that she had moved on. "What if things don't work out between Brooke and me?" he thought to himself. He'd always known that he had Kim as a back-up plan and that was about to change.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim walked up the street toward the firehouse and felt that someone was looking at her. She looked up ahead and saw no one was there. Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She reached into her pocket and answered the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, yourself. How'd it go?" Bosco said.  
  
"Where are you?" she asked, wondering how he knew she was done talking to Jimmy.  
  
"I'm about ten feet ahead of you to your right," he answered her. She looked over and saw him leaning against his car. He'd stopped before going in to get ready for his shift and saw her coming out of the diner.  
  
"It went good. A little rough at first, but he was okay with it by the time I was done," she told him over the phone, the whole time looking at him and walking in his direction.  
  
"Good. Are you gonna hurry up and get your ass over here, or are you gonna make me late for briefing?" he said, pushing himself off the car and walking toward her.  
  
Suddenly, Kim heard Bobby call to her from the station to tell her that they had a call. "Sorry," she said into the phone as Bosco stopped.  
  
"No problem. Have a good shift and be careful," he told her.  
  
"You too," she said, hanging up her phone and running the rest of the way to her bus. Bosco watched as she climbed into the ambulance and they made eye contact as Bobby drove off in the direction of their call. 


	29. Missing The Party

Kim sat on the hood of Bosco's car waiting for him after shift one night.  
  
"Hey Kim."  
  
She looked over her shoulder. "Hi Faith."  
  
"So, I hear congratulations are in order."  
  
Kim smiled. "Yeah, you heard right. I'm marrying Maurice Boscorelli."  
  
"I think it's great. I really do. Kim, I've gotta tell you that this is the happiest I have ever seen Bos and that's saying something."  
  
Kim giggled. "Bobby said the same thing to him yesterday. Along with, "If you ever hurt her, I'll break every bone in your body'."  
  
Faith laughed. "Sounds like my brother when we were younger."  
  
"Yeah, well Bobby's everyone's surrogate big brother. Except for Alex. I think he's hoping for a little more then brother status with her."  
  
"What's she like? I haven't really talked to her."  
  
"She's nice. Bobby and Doc both like her so she can't be that bad."  
  
"True." Faith nodded. "And here comes your intended."  
  
Bosco was coming down the steps. He smiled when he saw Kim sitting there talking to Faith. "Hey ladies. What's up?" He kissed Kim hello and smiled. "You need a ride Faith?"  
  
"No I'm good. Night you guys."  
  
"Night." Kim called.  
  
"So I was talking to Walsh at that fire today."  
  
"Yeah?" Kim took his hands in hers. "What about?"  
  
"He said we missed a pretty good time last night."  
  
"Sorry we skipped the party?" Kim asked, sliding down from the hood of his car.  
  
"Nah, not really." Bosco said.  
  
"Yeah, me neither."  
  
"Why? I thought you and Jimmy were cool."  
  
Kim sighed. She kept thinking about what Bobby had told her. She turned to face Bosco. "We are. We were. I don't know anymore. Bobby told me something today that makes me wish I'd gone with my original wedding present for Brooke."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"An appointment to get her head examined for agreeing to marry Jimmy."  
  
"What did Jimmy do?"  
  
"Wrong question."  
  
"Wrong question?"  
  
"The right question would be, who did Jimmy do?"  
  
"And I take it that it wasn't Brooke that Jimmy did."  
  
"No. Did you ever meet Lombardo's girl?"  
  
Bosco thought for a minute or two. "Linda, right? Blonde."  
  
"Yeah. She and Jimmy used to go out a long time ago and last night they reminisced on the counter of the ladies' room."  
  
"Oh my God." Bosco said shaking his head. Sometimes he just did not get Jimmy. He knew that the firefighter had run around on Kim and now he was sleeping with his best friend's girl. "What an idiot."  
  
"You're telling me." 


	30. Mad Cool

Bosco was in the kitchen, cooking up some pasta. They'd both had the day off and Kim was on her way over for a nice, quiet dinner at home. She was supposed to be bringing a movie and he was dreading her choice. He just knew it was going to be some kind of chick flick. He heard her key in the door and poured her a glass of her favorite wine.  
  
The door opened and in walked Kim, followed by Joey. Joey ran over to Bosco, waving a movie in his face. "Bosco, look what movie I picked out!" he said excitedly as he jumped up and Bosco caught him in mid-air.  
  
"Hey, Buddy! What're you doin' here," he said, laughing as Joey wiggled in his grasp.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Bos," Kim said, apologetically. "Jimmy's sick as a dog and couldn't take him tonight.  
  
"No problem, Kim," Bosco said. "Great job picking out the movie," Bosco said, seeing that it was Spiderman.  
  
"Yeah, great," Kim said quietly under her breath as she set down the duffle bag she had in her hand. "Real romantic," she said, looking at Bosco.  
  
He winked at her and said to Joey, "At least we don't have to watch another one of your Mom's chick flicks."  
  
"Yuck!" Joey said, making a face that made Bosco laugh again.  
  
"Well, dinner's almost ready. You like pasta, big guy?" he asked, opening the freezer to see if he had a frozen pizza left in case Joey didn't want pasta.  
  
"I don't know. What else you got?" Joey asked, jumping up trying to see into the freezer.  
  
"Joey!" Kim said. "You get to eat what we're all eating. He likes pasta," she said, looking at Bosco. "I'm really sorry," she mouthed silently to him.  
  
Bosco walked over to her and hugged her. "No problem. It happens. Besides, we're gonna be a family soon, right?"  
  
"Have I told you that I love you lately?" she asked him reaching up to give him a kiss.  
  
"Mmmm, not for about an hour or so," he said as he began to kiss her back. The kiss lingered and deepened until Joey pushing in between them interrupted them.  
  
"Hey, Bosco? Can I play with your Game Cube?" Joey asked.  
  
"Sure, buddy. You know how to set it up by now, right?" he said, walking over to turn the television on. Joey nodded and went about expertly plugging in the wires of the game to the television as Bosco watched him. Bosco looked up at Kim. "What's in the bag?" he asked, looking over to the duffle bag she'd placed on the floor next to the door.  
  
"Some extra clothes and stuff for Joey. I thought we could let him sleep on your couch tonight," she said, walking over and massaging his shoulders as they both watched Joey start playing the game. They'd talk to Joey about them getting married and, after a few questions about what was going to happen with Jimmy and Bosco and Joey, they'd convinced him that everyone would get along just fine and that they only wanted Joey to be happy. He was fine with it and was looking forward to walking his mother down the aisle. They'd pretty much been spending most nights at Kim's apartment and Joey understood that Bosco slept in Kim's bedroom at night.  
  
"Oh yeah?" he said, reaching an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. The buzzer on the stove went off, indicating that Bosco needed to test the pasta to see if it was done. He stood up and, after giving Kim another kiss, walked toward the kitchen. Over his shoulder he said. "Well, I've been busy today."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, I know that the place looks pretty good. You've been cleaning, I see," she said, teasing him as he pulled some pasta out of the pan and tasted it. He set the timer for a few more minutes.  
  
"Yeah. Take a look at my 'junk room,'" he said, referring to the extra bedroom he had that was a catchall for everything he didn't have room for anywhere else. Most of the stuff was just junk he should have gotten rid of a long time ago. He'd spent the day cleaning it out and then went out shopping with his mother.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Kim said, walking down the hallway. She reached the spare bedroom and flipped on the light as Bosco came up behind her. "Oh, Bosco! It's great. Joey, come here," she called out. Joey paused the game and walked down the hallway.  
  
"Look what Bosco did for you," she said, stepping aside so he could go into the room. The room was entirely cleaned and had a loft bed, with desk underneath and a matching dresser. He had gone out and gotten the bed this afternoon and his mother helped him pick out a New York Yankees themed comforter and curtains. There was a lamp on the disk with a Yankees lampshade and some Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, and Bernie Williams posters on the walls. A shelving unit was set up in the corner and had a portable boombox/CD player and a small television on the shelves.  
  
"Bosco, you did a great job. It looks great, but-" she said, when he interrupted her.  
  
"I know we haven't talked about it, but I figured my apartment was bigger and it's even closer to Joey's school. I thought that maybe after we got married, we could move your stuff over here," he said, looking at her for her reaction. "If you want to stay where you are, that's fine. If Joey likes it, we can put all this stuff in his room at your place. It's up to you," he said, as they watched Joey walk into the room with an awestruck look on his face. Kim leaned back against Bosco and brought her hand up and touched the side of his face. "It's perfect. I love the idea, Bos. Thank you."  
  
"This is mad cool!" Joey said finally.  
  
"Uh, that's a good thing, right?" Bosco said, as Kim started to laugh.  
  
"Yeah, that's a good thing," she said, turning to face him. "And, I think you're mad cool too," she said, kissing him again. 


	31. Very Good Care

"I can't believe we all started laughing." Kim said to Bosco and Bobby as they sat at a table in the restaurant where Jimmy and Brooke were having their reception.  
  
"Can you blame us?" Bosco asked. "After all we know something that could have been an answer for the priest's statement."  
  
"I'm just surprised it was Alex who started coughing. Especially after she read us all the riot act the other day." Bobby said.  
  
"I'm surprised Brooke didn't take it as a sign to get the hell out of there." Kim said.  
  
"She probably thought it was just a fluke," Bosco said. "You thirsty?"  
  
"Yeah. White wine."  
  
"Bobby?"  
  
"Beer."  
  
"Be right back." Bosco got up and headed for the bar.  
  
"You two seem to be settling in. You set a date yet?" Bobby asked.  
  
"No, not yet. I was thinking soon, though."  
  
"What your mom say when you told her?"  
  
"She said it was about time."  
  
"What about Bosco's mom?"  
  
"Rose? She was thrilled. She wants to have the reception in the bar."  
  
"Sounds like fun."  
  
"Yeah. She said it's our wedding gift."  
  
"Nice."  
  
"Yeah. Speaking of the wedding, Bosco and I were talking last night. His best friend is Faith and you're my best friend, so I was just wondering if maybe you'd stand up for me when we get married."  
  
"I don't have to wear a dress do I?"  
  
"No. No dresses," Kim giggled. "A suit though. A nice one."  
  
Bobby grinned. "It'd be an honor Kim. But I have to say I'm a little disappointed I don't get to give you away."  
  
"Yeah, like I'd let you do that. You've been trying to get rid of me for years," Kim teased, giggling.  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Thanks." Bosco said giving the bartender a tip before taking the drinks he'd ordered, beers for him and Bobby and a white wine for Kim, and turning around.  
  
"Bosco."  
  
Jimmy's voice made Bosco stop. "Hey. Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks," a dimpled grin accompanied the words. "You too. Kimmy told me you and she are getting married."  
  
"Yes we are," Bosco said shooting a glance over at Kim. She smiled back at him. Bosco looked back at Jimmy. "Was that it?"  
  
"No." Jimmy took a deep breath. "Be careful with her. I wasn't. I kept hurting her till she reached the end of her rope. I let her push me away and I never thought twice about it. She deserves the best and while I disagree, she seems to think that's you. So take good care of her." Jimmy looked over at Kim, who was laughing at something Bobby was saying. "Take very good care of her."  
  
"I will," Bosco promised. 


	32. A Wedding

Kim was at her mother's house. Her sister, Melanie, and her mother, Catherine, were sitting around on the front porch sipping wine. Joey was with Brooke and Jimmy for the day. They would bring him to the church later.  
  
"I can't believe he went to work today," Melanie said to her sister.  
  
"Yeah, well he's not one to miss work if he doesn't have to. He loves his job," Kim replied, the warmth of the wine soothing her nerves.  
  
"But, what if he gets hurt or gets tied up on a case and doesn't get done on time?" Catherine said.  
  
"Mom. You worry too much. Nothing's going to happen. Faith's with him and she won't let him be late," Kim tried to soothe her mother's concerns.  
  
"And you. How are you doing?" Melanie asked Kim.  
  
"Me? I'm fine. Piece of cake," she said, almost dropping her wine glass.  
  
"Uh huh," said her sister, reaching over to refill her glass.  
  
"Whoa, Sis! I need to be able to say 'I do,'" Kim said, covering her glass with her hand.  
  
Kim's cell phone rang and she fished it out of her pocket and answered it. "Hello?"  
  
"Hello yourself. How're you doing?" came Bosco's voice from the other end.  
  
"Just trying to convince my sister and mother that you won't leave me standing at the altar," she said, laughter in her voice. "They think you shouldn't have gone to work today. They think you're going to get hurt or tied up on a case and be late," Kim said to him.  
  
"Funny you should say that," Bosco started and then paused waiting for her reaction.  
  
Kim sat forward in her chair, a frown coming across her face. "Bosco. Don't even say it," she warned him.  
  
"Relax. I'm just kidding. You worry too much," he said, fidgeting with the wire from his portable radio for something to do with his nervous hands. "Besides, I have Faith here to keep me in line," he said, looking over at his partner.  
  
"Yeah, well that's what I'm counting on. Can I talk to her for a minute?" Kim asked. Bosco handed the phone to Faith.  
  
"Hey, Kim. I promise not to let him get involved in something too dangerous or too lengthy. I put the word out to Davis and Sully and they're gonna pick up any calls that sound too involved," Faith said, looking at her partner as she spoke.  
  
"So, how is he, Faith?" she asked.  
  
"He's good," Faith replied.  
  
"Is he very nervous?" Kim inquired.  
  
"Very," Faith said.  
  
"Thanks, Faith. I'll see you in a few hours then?" Kim said to her.  
  
"I'll be there. This I wouldn't miss for the world," Faith said, handing the phone back to Bosco. "She wanted to know how nervous you were."  
  
"Very funny. I'm not nervous at all," Bosco said into the phone to Kim as Faith broke out in laughter as she looked at all the wadded up pieces of paper on the seat alongside her - Bosco's attempts at writing a report on their last call.  
  
"You can't even write coherently!" she yelled across the car to him, loud enough for Kim to hear.  
  
"Bosco, are you really that nervous?" Kim asked, laughing at Faith's last comment.  
  
"No! I mean. Well, a little. You've been through this before. This is a first for me," he said in his own defense. Kim started to laugh. The silly laugh she got when she'd had too much wine. "Kim, you're drunk!" Bosco said into the phone.  
  
"No. I'm mellow," she said.  
  
"Well, don't get any more mellow. I won't be able to take advantage of you later," Bosco said. "Let me talk to Melanie." Kim handed the phone to her sister.  
  
"He wants to talk to you. He thinks I'm drunk," she said, laughing again.  
  
"Bosco?" Melanie said into the phone.  
  
"Mel, you can't let her have anymore. You know how she gets," Bosco said, laughing at the sound of Kim's laughter in the background.  
  
"Don't worry, Bosco. She already cut herself off. She'll be fine. I promise," Melanie assured him. She handed the phone back to Kim.  
  
"Okay, I gotta go to another call. I'll see you in a couple of hours," Bosco said.  
  
"Okay. Be careful. I love you, Maurice Boscorelli," Kim said into the phone.  
  
"I love you too, Kim. Bye," he said, hanging up the phone. He looked over at Faith. "What?!" he said as he noticed the look on her face.  
  
"Nothing. I just think it's great, that's all," Faith said as Bosco flipped on the lights and siren and Faith steered the car toward their next call.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
True to her promise, Faith had gotten Bosco to the church on time. Jimmy had brought Joey to the church with Brooke. Brooke had gotten Joey into his tuxedo and he was ready to walk his mother down the aisle. He'd been looking forward to it for a long time.  
  
Alex, Ty, Carlos and Sully all sat in a row of the church together. "I never thought I'd see this day," Sully said quietly, as the guests continued to file into the church and take their seats. It seemed that all the police, fire and medic personnel had congregated in one section of the pews.  
  
"Yeah. I thought he'd die a bachelor," Ty agreed.  
  
"He didn't tie the knot yet," said Carlos sarcastically.  
  
Alex punched him in the arm. "Nice!" she whispered loudly.  
  
"Ow!" Carlos said. "What'd I say?"  
  
"You can be a real jerk sometimes, Carlos," Alex said, as Sully and Ty started to chuckle.  
  
Bosco walked out of the room behind the altar and stood at the head of the aisle that Kim would walk down. Faith came out and stood along side of him, looking into the pews to find her family and smiling. Bobby walked out and stood on the bride's side so that he could stand up for Kim.  
  
"That's just weird," said Carlos, recovering from his punch.  
  
"What's weird?" asked Alex.  
  
"Faith should be on the bride's side and Bobby should be on the groom's side. Whoever heard of a female best man and a male maid of honor?" he explained, which earned him another punch from Alex. Carlos abruptly stood up and sat back down on the other side of Sully, rubbing his arm.  
  
"I think it's nice. They each have their best friends standing up for them," Alex said.  
  
"You two are worse than kids," Sully said to Alex and Carlos.  
  
"Well, he started it," Alex said and Ty laughed. Sully just rolled his eyes.  
  
Everyone was seated and the music started to play. Bosco turned toward the back of the church and watched Kim walk slowly up the aisle, holding hands with Joey. He took in a sharp breath at her beauty. Although they had only wanted a simple wedding, they still wanted it in the church.  
  
Kim wore a simple, beaded, floor-length ivory gown, cut low in the back. Bosco wore a classic black tuxedo with an ivory cummerbund and red rose in the lapel. Kim carried a beautiful bouquet of red roses and baby's breath with a long, cascading ivory ribbon. Joey and Bobby wore the same classic black tuxedos with red cummerbunds. Faith wore a simple, black floor- length gown. It was an evening wedding, so they had decided on a candlelight ceremony and the church looked beautiful. Everyone in the church turned to watch Joey and Kim walk up the aisle and Bosco quickly glanced over to see his mother dabbing at the corners of her eyes. She locked eyes with her son briefly and he could see how happy she was for him. He winked at her and looked back at his bride.  
  
Kim made it to the front of the church and when asked who gives the bride away, Joey answered, "Me. Joey, her son." There was the low sound of chuckles and Joey moved to the side to let Bobby stand alongside Kim. Bobby spoke up, "I do, Robert Caffey."  
  
The ceremony continued with Bobby and Faith handing the rings to Joey who then handed them to the priest to be blessed. When the priest reached the part about if anyone knows of any reason why this marriage should not proceed, speak now or forever hold your peace, there was a moment of silence. Bosco and Kim couldn't help but turn and look at Alex, Carlos, Sully and Ty who did their best not to laugh. The ceremony continued and the priest finally said, "I now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride."  
  
Bosco and Kim both leaned toward each other and held a long, meaningful kiss until Faith and Bobby both cleared their throats, much to the amusement of the guests.  
  
The priest said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time, Mrs. and Mrs. Maurice Boscorelli." Applause broke out and Kim and Bosco walked down the aisle and out of the church with Joey between them. 


	33. His Plan

"Excuse me? Can I have everyone's attention please?" Faith said into the microphone. "Thank you. Now as 'best man' I get to say a few words about the happy couple."  
  
Bosco's "Oh God," could be heard around the bar.  
  
"I've known Maurice Boscorelli since the academy. I've seen him go through a lot of girls. We all have. But even before I knew it was Kim he was seeing, something told me that this time was different and then when he told me whom it was he was seeing, I knew this time would be different. But to be honest, I never expected to be here today giving a speech for this particular occasion. But I am so glad I am. I hope the two of you have a long and happy life together. Cheers!"  
  
Glasses clinked around the room and then Bobby stood up.  
  
"I promise to be short because I know everyone's hungry and the smell from the kitchen is nothing short of incredible," Bobby said with his killer grin directed at Rose Boscorelli. "When Kim first told me it was Bosco she was going out with, I was surprised to say the least but as I thought about the previous months I realized she'd been happier then I'd ever seen her. And shock of shocks, Maurice Boscorelli was responsible for that. I think we'd all agree that the two of you make each other happy and I wish the best for the both of you. Cheers."  
  
"Before we serve the food, I think there's something that the bride and groom need to take care of," Rose said from the microphone. "Maurice, Kimberly, come on down."  
  
Bosco and Kim got up and made their way to the band.  
  
"Ma?" Bosco raised an eyebrow at his mother.  
  
"Bobby set this up." Rose said before she looked at the band. "Hit it."  
  
Kim laughed as the first notes of the song hit her. "I am going to hurt Bobby."  
  
"C'mon Baby," Bosco took her hand and they went out onto the dance floor.  
  
"I don't know how to dance to this."  
  
"Just like we did the first time. Close. Very close." Bosco pulled her into his arms.  
  
Kim smiled. "I promise not to throw you out again if you kiss me."  
  
"It was our first date. You were supposed to throw me out."  
  
"Truth be told, I thought that that was it. I thought you would never ask me out again."  
  
"But I did."  
  
"Yes, you did." Kim smiled and then she kissed him. "So you think we'll do like the song says and be 'Happy Together'?"  
  
"Yes I do."  
  
"Me too."  
  
(#(#(#(#(#(#(#(  
  
"Kim?" Jimmy finally got a minute with Kim later that night. Bosco was talking to his mother and Katherine had just taken Joey home.  
  
"Hey." Kim smiled. "Where's Brooke?"  
  
"She's getting her jacket."  
  
"Oh, are you leaving?"  
  
"Yeah. She's tired."  
  
Kim nodded. "I'm glad you and she came today. It meant a lot to me and to Joey."  
  
"What about Bosco?"  
  
"I don't think he's really noticed many of the guests today. To tell you the truth, neither have I."  
  
"Dazed, right?"  
  
"Something like that." Kim smiled.  
  
"You look beautiful today."  
  
"Thanks Jimmy."  
  
"Kim-"  
  
"Hey, there you are." Brooke said, walking up. "Hi Kim."  
  
"Hey Brooke. Heading out?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm tired and I have to work the third watch tomorrow for someone since I traded shifts."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Today was really beautiful." Brooke smiled.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Where's Bosco?"  
  
"Talking to his mom," Kim looked over her shoulder.  
  
"When are you two leaving?"  
  
"As soon as the band does. We're driving to Atlantic City tonight. You have the numbers right?"  
  
"Yeah and if we don't, your mom and Rose do."  
  
"Right."  
  
"We better go. Have fun."  
  
"Thanks. We will." Kim smiled. "Night."  
  
"Night." Brooke said.  
  
"G'night Kim." Jimmy hugged her. "Be happy," he whispered.  
  
"Always." Kim watched them leave and then smiled when she felt Bosco's arms slide around her. "Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Band ready to go yet?"  
  
"Yeah, just about. You wanna change?"  
  
"Maybe in a few." She looked around. "Where's Bobby?"  
  
"In back, talking with Alex. What'd Jimmy say?"  
  
"He told me to be happy."  
  
"That's my plan." 


	34. Welcome back By the way,

Kim and Bosco walked into his - "their" - apartment after a long flight home from their honeymoon. It wasn't really long, they were just exhausted. They had a beautiful week of sunshine and warm temperatures. They went to the beach every day and Bosco managed to survive unscathed, despite trying out parasailing and surfing, much to Kim's displeasure.  
  
Bosco dropped the last of their bags by the front door and walked over and flopped on the couch beside his wife.  
  
"Man, it feels good to sit down," he said, tiredly.  
  
"Mmm. That it does. That it does," Kim said, opening one eye to look over at her husband.  
  
"Uh, you make it sound like YOU lugged all the luggage upstairs," he teased her, reaching over to grab her side and tickle her.  
  
"Hey! Now, cut that out!" she yelled, laughing out loud. They sat quietly together for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.  
  
"Well, I gotta go call Joey and let him know we're back," she said, wearily getting up off the couch. "What day is it?" she said, walking toward the phone.  
  
"Ummm, Tuesday," Bosco answered. It was amazing how lost you could get without a regular routine to keep you in touch with the days.  
  
Kim looked at her watch and saw that it was only 1:30 in the afternoon. "Joey's not home from school yet," she said, coming back over and sitting down.  
  
"I'm hungry," Bosco said.  
  
"Well, there's nothing in the refrigerator because we were gone for a week. You wanna go down to Haggerty's and get a bite? Then, we can swing by and pick up Joey from my Mom's when he gets home from school," Kim suggested.  
  
"Your Mom's? What's he doing there?" Bosco asked.  
  
"Jimmy's working, remember?" Kim reminded him. He shook his head no.  
  
"No. I'll never get used to the schedules you guys follow. I know I have Fridays and Saturdays off every week - none of this rotating shift crap," he said grumpily.  
  
"C'mon, Grumpy. You need food," she said, pulling him to his feet. He reluctantly got up and they grabbed their coats and went downstairs. Thankfully, Haggerty's was within walking distance as long as it was a nice day, because Bosco didn't really feel like driving.  
  
By the time they reached Haggerty's, the walk in the brisk afternoon air had heightened their appetite even more. They walked in and were greeted by the regulars who were in the bar - mostly off duty cops, firefighters and medics. Bosco shook hands with a number of them on the way to their table as both he and Kim acknowledged the congratulatory comments. The eventually made it to a table and were looking over the menu when the waitress came over.  
  
"Hey, guys. Welcome back. How was Hawaii?" Heather said, opening her order book and getting ready to take their order.  
  
"It was beautiful. Nothing but sunshine every day," Kim answered her.  
  
"Great. We could use some of that around here," she said, looking at the clouds moving in outside. "Your tans look great! Ready to order?" she asked them.  
  
"I'll have a Corona Light with a lime, and a double cheeseburger with fries," Bosco said, anticipating a good, greasy cheeseburger.  
  
"What about you, Kim?" Heather asked her.  
  
"Um. I'll have, um... the same as him," she said, closing her menu and handing it to Heather.  
  
"Okay. I'll go put the order in and I'll be right back with your drinks," the waitress said, turning to go.  
  
Kim looked up to see Bosco looking at her funny. "What?" she asked, looking to make sure she didn't have anything on the front of her.  
  
"A double cheeseburger? Since when have you ever been able to eat more than a salad?" he asked her.  
  
"I dunno. I'm starving. Must've been all that sun and fresh air," she said.  
  
"Yeah, couldn't have been all that "exercise" we got last night, right?" Bosco said, winking at his wife. "Wife." He still couldn't get used to that. He loved it, but he never thought he'd ever say it about himself.  
  
"Oh, yeah. That could definitely be the culprit," Kim said, rubbing her foot against his leg under the table.  
  
"Easy woman," Bosco said under his breath, making her laugh.  
  
They made small talk with some of the staff as they ate their meal and had just finished when they looked over to see who was coming in the front door.  
  
"Oh, here comes Carlos," Kim said, not sure they wanted to call him over or not. He was a friend, but sometimes he was a jerk. Before they could decide, Carlos spotted them and waved. He started over to their table.  
  
"Be nice," Kim warned Bosco who feigned an innocent expression and said, "Who? Me?" Kim kicked him under the table.  
  
"Hey, guys. Welcome back," Carlos said, walking up to the table and shaking Bosco's hand.  
  
"Thanks," Bosco said. "No work today?"  
  
"Nah. It's my day off," he said. "So you guys look nice and tan. It looks good on you, Kim," Carlos said.  
  
"Thanks. I can't believe how cold it is here," she said to him.  
  
"Actually, this is a heat wave compared to the last few days," he said, getting a serious look on his face. "You talked to Bobby since you've been back?"  
  
Kim looked at Carlos' face and got worried, "No. We just got back. Why? Is he okay?"  
  
"Yeah, he's fine. It's just that. Well, he'll probably want to tell you," Carlos said, knowing that he'd catch hell for telling tales again.  
  
"Carlos. What's up?" Bosco asked, starting to lose patience.  
  
Carlos held up his hands. "Really. You should talk to Bobby."  
  
Bosco and Kim looked at each other as Carlos walked away toward the bar. "NOW what the hell's going on?" Bosco said, voicing Kim's same thoughts.  
  
"We better track down Bobby," Kim said, motioning to Heather for their check.  
  
Heather came over and said, "Haggerty's wedding gift to you. This meal's on him," she said, clearing their dishes away. "Have a great day."  
  
"Thanks," Bosco said, waving over to Haggerty to say thank you. He reached into his wallet and put a tip in the table for Heather as they stood up and put their coats on.  
  
"I'm sure everything's fine. You know how Nieto blows everything out of proportion," Bosco said, noticing the worried look on Kim's face.  
  
She nodded, "Yeah. You're probably right. But, let's check it out anyway. Bobby's working today, so let's head over to Camelot, okay?"  
  
"Sure. I gotta pick up my check anyway," Bosco said as he let Kim go first and followed her out the door. *^*^**^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim walked into the firehouse by herself. Bosco had gone to get his check. He'd asked her if she wanted him to come in with her, but she thought that maybe it was a personal thing.  
  
Now, she walked through the firehouse and heard the familiar sounds of the crew in the back rooms. She smelled dinner cooking and heard the familiar music of Sportscenter coming from the TV room. "Hey, guys!" she said cheerfully as she walked into the room.  
  
"Kim!" said D.K. as he walked over to give her a hug. "Welcome back. You're not working today, are you?" he said with surprise.  
  
"No. I'm looking for Bobby. Is he around?" she said, looking into the TV room and seeing Billy and Lombardo sitting in front of the television. They all yelled their hello's and Jimmy walked down the stairs from the bunkroom and came into the room.  
  
"Hey, Kimmy. You look great. Did you have a good time?" Jimmy asked his ex-wife, making sure to keep the side of his face that bore the bruise away from Kim.  
  
She noticed how tired he looked and figured he'd had a big job during the day. "Yeah, it was good. Joey was good?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's great. He should be at your Mom's right now," he said quietly, looking at his watch.  
  
"Yeah. We're gonna go get him right now. Bosco just wanted to pick up his check first," she said, hearing someone come up behind her.  
  
"Hey, Kim! You're back. Has it been a week already?" Bobby said, hugging her from behind. "How's Bosco. You didn't kill him, did you?"  
  
"Very funny. No. He's fine. So, what's going on?" she said, noticing that Bobby didn't look like anything was wrong.  
  
"Nothing. Same old, same old," he said, seeing Jimmy standing behind Kim.  
  
"You know. There is something I needed to talk to you about," Bobby said, pulling Kim away from Jimmy.  
  
When they'd reached the office, Bobby closed the door. "Bobby, what's going on? We ran into Carlos at Haggerty's and he said I should talk to you," Kim said, a worried look on her face.  
  
"I'm fine. It's Jimmy," Bobby said, solemnly.  
  
"Jimmy? What's the matter. I noticed he looked pretty tired," Kim said.  
  
"You remember what happened between Jimmy and Linda at Jimmy's engagement party?" Bobby said.  
  
"Yeah," Kim said, warily.  
  
"Well, apparently Linda told Lombardo about it," Bobby said.  
  
"Oh, man. That must have been pleasant," she said. "So, what happened?" she asked Bobby.  
  
"Well, Lombardo came in swinging, which explains the bruise that Jimmy's hiding from you," Bobby explained. "Anyway, Jimmy came clean with Brooke about it and she kicked him out. He's been working overtime shifts and sleeping here all week. I don't think she's gonna take him back," Bobby added.  
  
"What?! Oh my God. So, where's Joey been staying all week?" Kim asked, suddenly angry.  
  
"He's been staying with your Mom all week," Bobby said. "I talked to him a couple of times on the phone and he's okay. He just thinks that Jimmy had to work all this time because somebody else was out hurt."  
  
"Jimmy," Kim said with exasperation.  
  
"Kimmy. You gotta stay clear of him, right now. Don't let him become your problem. He made his bed, now he's gotta sleep in it. Don't do anything stupid that's gonna put you in a bind with Bosco," Bobby warned his friend.  
  
"Bobby. You saw him. He looks like crap," Kim said.  
  
"Kimmy! You can't make Jimmy your problem anymore," Bobby said louder this time.  
  
"I know, Bobby. But, he's the father of my son. I still love him. Not the same way as when we were together, but like I do you. You know I wouldn't be able to see you in pain and not try to help," Kim tried to explain.  
  
"Kim. I'm just telling you that you need to back away from this. And, you need to tell Bosco what's going on too," Bobby said.  
  
"I know. I'll talk to him when I leave here," Kim said, suddenly thinking of Joey. "I've gotta go get Joey. I can't believe no one called me about this," Kim said.  
  
"Kim. Joey was safe and nobody was hurt or dying. Why would we ruin your honeymoon over this?" Bobby said.  
  
"I know. I just can't believe he screwed up again," she said angrily, opening the door and walking out. She paused outside the door and decided to walk out the sidie door rather than going past Jimmy again. She just couldn't talk to him right now. Bobby was right. She needed to get some perspective and distance herself a bit first.  
  
"Tell Jimmy I'm picking up Joey and taking him home," she said to Bobby, walking out the door. 


	35. Possess Me

"Joey asleep?" Bosco asked when Kim entered their room later that night.  
  
"Finally. He really loves what you brought him." Kim smiled.  
  
"Yeah I thought he might like it." He smiled.  
  
"But I do not know what he's going to do with a surfboard in New York."  
  
"We'll take him to the shore over the summer and I'll teach him to use it."  
  
"Oh that'll be a sight to see."  
  
"So will you in that bikini I bought you."  
  
Kim grinned as she climbed into bed with him and straddled his lap. "You are incorrigible."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"So, I am going to talk to the cap tomorrow."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Changing my name on my records."  
  
"You're not going by Zambrano anymore?"  
  
"Nope. I wanna go by Boscorelli now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause I'm a married person and I want to use my hubby's name," Kim giggled.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So, as your hubby, do I get to know what you Bobby told you this afternoon?"  
  
Kim rolled her eyes. Every time Bosco had brought up Bobby's news, she'd found a way to change the subject.  
  
"Linda told Lombardo." She said simply.  
  
"Told him what?"  
  
"The big told him."  
  
"You mean about her and Jimmy?"  
  
"Yeah. Lombardo hit Jimmy and then Jimmy told Brooke, who threw him out."  
  
"Does Joey know about this?"  
  
"No, not yet. He thinks Jimmy was working all week for someone who was hurt and that's why he was at my mom's all week." Kim said. She studied Bosco's face. It looked impassive to the casual observer but she knew better. "It's not gonna happen."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I know what you're thinking and it won't happen. No matter what, I am staying right here with you. The world could end and I wouldn't leave you."  
  
"Jimmy-"  
  
"Will always be Joey's father and my ex-husband. Emphasis on the ex part. That is the only way he is in my life. He's not my lover and he's barely my friend."  
  
"He might not see it that way. He still looks at you in a somewhat possessive way."  
  
"Tough. I'm not his to possess. I'm yours."  
  
Bosco grinned. "Okay."  
  
"So what are you waiting for? Possess me." 


	36. Missing

Bosco looked around the darkness. He and Faith had just found the stash of heroin and gone through the shootout with two drug dealers. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. All he and Faith could do right now was watch Carlos assess Doc's condition.  
  
Bosco looked over at Faith and saw the distress on her face. "C'mon, we gotta find a way out of here."  
  
"I'm sorry, Doc," Faith said quietly.  
  
"You shot me!" Doc yelled angrily, making Faith visibly cringe.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. I just..," she said, not finishing the sentence before Carlos interrupted.  
  
"Those guys were already gone. You were shooting at nothing," Carlos said meanly.  
  
Bosco reached over and grabbed Faith by the arm, pulling her away from Doc and Carlos. "Faith. We need to find a way out of here. Look for a crowbar or somethin'," he told her.  
  
Faith knew, but Doc and Carlos didn't know the way Bosco felt about the dark. Faith looked at Bosco and saw the look in his eyes. That brought her attention to her partner and away from Doc somewhat. She stayed with him as they started looking around for a way out.  
  
Bosco was walking along, looking for any kind of doorway - some way to get out. He thought of Kim and looked at his watch. She'd be worried. She'd notice he wasn't back yet and then someone would start looking for them. Faith was right, no one would be looking for them until they didn't report in at the end of the shift.  
  
"You think those guys are coming back?" Faith asked him.  
  
"Not right away. They won't take the chance that someone might be comin' to look for us," he told her, more so trying to convince himself.  
  
They continued to look around and Bosco was trying to remember the last time he'd put fresh batteries in his flashlight.  
  
*^*^*^**^*^*^*^**^  
  
The crew was sitting around the kitchen and TV room, griping about the fact that Carlos and Doc had not returned to the station yet. It was Carlos' turn to make dinner and, although no one was particularly excited about that fact, they were irritated that he was obviously trying to get out of his turn - again.  
  
Kim sat there thinking about the fact that Bosco hadn't called her yet. Sometimes, if they weren't too busy, he and Faith would come and eat with the crew at Camelot. "They must be busy," she thought to herself as she continued flipping through Joey's fundraiser catalog from school.  
  
The phone rang and Lieutenant Johnson picked it up, still glaring at the crew for the potato-launching incident.  
  
"Lieutenant Johnson," he answered into the phone. Kim listened to the change in his voice and looked up at the Lieutenant as he talked on the phone. She saw the look of anger on his face turn somber. She kicked DK under the table and motioned for him to look at the Lieutenant.  
  
He hung up the phone and called Kim over, causing Kim's stomach to flip- flop instantly - remembering how she hadn't hear from him all day.  
  
"Yeah, Lieu?" she asked as her co-workers gathered around, expecting to have to help one of their own through bad news. Jimmy and Bobby both walked closer to Kim.  
  
"Kim. That was Lieutenant Swersky from across the street. It seems that Bosco and Faith are missing," he started and then turned to the rest of the house. "So is Doc and Carlos. They found their vehicles, abandoned.  
  
Kim turned quickly and pushed past Jimmy, Bobby and the others as she ran to the front of the firehouse and jumped into the driver's, grabbed the keys from under the floor mat and turned on the engine and lights.  
  
"Kimmy!" yelled Bobby as he tried to catch up with her. The rest of the crew were getting their stuff together to head over and help in the search. Jimmy took a moment to call Catherine and let her know what was going on and that Kim would probably be late getting home from work.  
  
With a feeling of dread running through her, Kim didn't even hear Bobby call after her.  
  
"Kim," Bobby said, out of breath. He'd had to run after her and climb in through the back door of the ambulance to catch up with her.  
  
"Everything's gonna be okay," Bobby assured her as they sped through the streets toward Bosco, Faith, Carlos, and Doc's last known location. 


	37. Head Over Feet

"Uh-oh," Davis said as he caught sight of the fast approaching ambulance.  
  
"What?" Sully looked at his partner.  
  
"Boy 55-3."  
  
"Why don't we let Christopher fill in Mrs. Boscorelli?" Sully smiled.  
  
"That's mean," Davis said.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And it's a really good idea."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
It was so quiet. The only noise Faith heard was Doc's breathing.  
  
It was also cold. Faith pulled the jacket she'd taken from the dead homeless man tighter and sighed.  
  
She was just about to ask Doc if she could do anything when she heard his body start to flail around.  
  
She opened her mouth and screamed.  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
"Thanks Sully," Kim said to the cop after he and Davis filled her in on the search. They'd intervened only after Bobby had visibly restrained Kim from lunging at Christopher's throat.  
  
"No problem Kim," the gruff cop smiled a little. Much as he may not agree with Bosco most of the time, he had to admit the younger cop had hit the jackpot when he'd married Kim. Sully walked back over to Davis and Kim climbed into the back of the rig.  
  
She settled onto the gurney and tipped her head back. She closed her eyes and just sat there. She didn't even realize she was humming till Bobby started to sing along.  
  
"And don't be surprised if I love you for all the you are. I couldn't help it, it's all your fault," he finished as Kim stopped humming, opened her eyes and looked over at him. "Good song."  
  
"Thanks. I didn't even realize I was humming it till you started to sing it."  
  
"You've hummed it before."  
  
"Have I?" Kim asked, surprised that Bobby remembered that.  
  
"First time I remember was back a couple of years. Right around the middle of September."  
  
"I can't believe you remember that," Kim rose an eyebrow.  
  
"I only remember it cause I thought you had slept with Jimmy. But with him you always hummed some Bruce Springsteen song."  
  
"I changed artists when I started going out with Bosco," Kim told him.  
  
"So?" Bobby gave her a look.  
  
Kim rolled her eyes before she explained. "When the alarm went off the morning after the first time we slept together this came on the radio. It was playing in the car the night we decided to start thinking about getting married. It was playing in the restaurant the night he proposed and the last night of our honeymoon we danced to it in the restaurant before we went upstairs."  
  
Bobby nodded. "Should've picked this for your wedding song."  
  
"Nah. Happy Together was the first song we ever danced to. It was more appropriate. But Head Over Feet will always just mean a lot to me."  
  
Bobby nodded and smiled.  
  
Someone knocked on the door to their rig. Bobby opened the door and greeted Davis, "What's up?"  
  
"We need you two. We found them but Doc's in a bad way."  
  
"On our way," Kim said getting up and following her partner and the cop to where their friends were.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You okay?" Kim slid her arms around Bosco later that night. They were down in the garage of the firehouse behind one of the trucks. Alex had gone to get dinner and Faith was already gone for the night. Kim and Bosco had decided to eat with the guys and then head home.  
  
"I'm fine." Bosco pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I am just glad to be above ground."  
  
"I am glad you're above ground too," Kim smiled. "Love you, you know that?"  
  
"Yes I do. I love you."  
  
Kim smiled and then she kissed him.  
  
"Hmm. Hey," Bosco pulled back.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sully said you came close to throttling Christopher today."  
  
Kim looked sheepish, "I couldn't help it. He was being a jerk. But on the up side I think he got reamed after we found you guys. Your captain didn't look to happy."  
  
"So the day wasn't totally awful."  
  
"No. And I think Joe and Jimmy are gonna be okay."  
  
"Yeah? What happened?"  
  
"We were launching potatoes off the roof before-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"We were bored. Anyway, Jimmy got off a good one and then he let Joe go. Joe's came up a little short."  
  
"How short?" Bosco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"He busted the back window of 5-5-Adam."  
  
Bosco snorted before he asked, "Then what happened?"  
  
"Swersky came over and told Lieu about it and Lieu grilled us. Joe started to laugh and it looked like he was gonna 'fess up but Jimmy took the blame."  
  
"Wow. Jimmy's a better man then I thought."  
  
"I think he's better then a lot of people think. So are you."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Oh hey, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"I've had this song in my head most of the day. I know it but I can't think of the title."  
  
"How's it go?"  
  
"You've already won me over in spite of me and don't be surprised if I fall head over feet," Bosco said.  
  
Kim won the battle against smiling and looked innocent as she said, "It doesn't sound familiar."  
  
"Oh," Bosco frowned. "I'll ask Yokas. She might know."  
  
"Good idea," Kim smiled and then she hugged him a smile on her face and a certain song in her heart. 


	38. Loss

Bosco took his ringing cell phone out of his pocket, gripping it tightly from the frustration he was feeling. He and Faith had been the ones to locate Paulie. They brought him into the station and had to listen to his whimpering and incoherent words all the way to the house. He took another look at their prisoner with disgust and put the phone to his hear.  
  
"Boscorelli," he said into the phone.  
  
"Bosco, it's Catherine," came Kim's mother's voice on the other end.  
  
"Catherine, what's going on?" Bosco asked, wondering why she was calling him. He just wanted to get this guy processed and get back over to the hospital.  
  
"He's gone, Bosco. Bobby's gone," she said, her voice cracking slightly.  
  
"What?!" Bosco said, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Where's Kim?"  
  
"She's here with me. Jimmy called me and when I got to the hospital she was outside," Catherine explained.  
  
"How is she?" Bosco asked as the conversation caught Faith's attention and she looked up. Bosco covered the phone with his hand and said, "Bobby didn't make it." Faith's eyes got wide and she put the pen down that she was writing the report with. She looked over to the man in the holding cell with contempt, before resting her forehead on her hand and looking at the desk.  
  
"She's not good, Bosco. She really needs you. Can you leave work?" Catherine said.  
  
"Of course. I'll be there in a few minutes. Can I talk to her?" he asked.  
  
"I don't think she'll be able to talk to you, Bosco," Catherine said.  
  
"Just give her the phone," Bosco told her. After a moment, he could hear her ragged breathing on the other end.  
  
"Bosco?" was all that came out before her voice crumbled to tears. "He's gone. Bobby's gone," she managed.  
  
"I know, Baby. I know. I'm sorry. I'll be right there, okay? Can you wait right there for me?" he said, his chest getting tight at the sound of despair in her voice.  
  
"Hurry, Bos. I really need you here," she said.  
  
"I'm coming, Baby. I'm almost there," he said, hanging up the phone. He turned to his partner. "Can you finish up the paperwork on this jag-off? Kim's in a really bad way," he said.  
  
"Absolutely. Go to Kim. Tell her I'm sorry and to call me if there's anything I can do," Faith said and Bosco nodded, looking around the desk to see if there was anything he needed to take care of before he left. He found himself staring at the man in the cell and then heard Faith's quiet voice alongside him. "You got him, Bosco. Tell Kim you got him. It will mean something to her right now," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder and bringing him back from his thoughts.  
  
"Thanks, Faith. I'll call you later. You'll explain it to the Lieu?" Bosco said, grabbing his hat off the desk and turning to go to the locker room.  
  
"Yeah. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it," she assured him.  
  
He nodded and quickly walked to the locker room, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. He passed Sully and Davis who were coming in from the end of their shift. "Hey, Bosco. Nice collar you made. Have you heard anything from the hospital?" Sully asked him.  
  
Bosco turned toward the two officers and quietly said, "Bobby died. Kim's Mom just called me. The jag-off killed him," Bosco said, finally realizing how good a friend Bobby had become. He turned away quickly as he felt tears come to his eyes.  
  
"Oh, man," Ty said. "I'm sorry, Bos. Tell Kim, if there's anything we can do to just call," he finished. Bosco just nodded, but didn't turn around.  
  
"I'm on my way over there now," was all he said.  
  
"Well, anything. Anything at all," Sully said.  
  
"Thanks." Bosco replied as he finished changing.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco pulled his car up to the front of Catherine's house. He could see Kim standing in the window. She must have been waiting for him. He turned off the engine and got out and walked around the side of the car to the sidewalk leading to the front steps. Kim came out the front door and down the steps. They got about half way to each other when Kim stopped, unable to control her emotions anymore. Bosco watched her slowly start to sink to the ground on her knees and raced up the walk to her. He reached her just as her knees hit the ground and took her in his arms.  
  
"I'm here, Baby. I'm here," he said, holding onto to her tightly to try to stop the violent shaking from her sobs.  
  
"Oh, Bosco. He's gone. How can it be that he's gone?" she said between sobs. "I couldn't save him. I must've done something wrong. Why couldn't I save him?" she said.  
  
Bosco pushed her away just enough to look her in the eye. "Kim! You did everything you could. Hear me? Everything. I know you did everything you could do. There must have been just too much damage, Kim. Do you understand me?" he said, pulling her to him again and looking over her shoulder to Catherine who was standing on the steps distraught at her daughter's pain.  
  
After a few moments, when her sobs seemed to subside somewhat, he helped Kim to her feet and slowly walked her back to the house. Catherine opened the door and let them walk through ahead of her. She put her hand on Bosco's back and said, "Thank God you got here when you did. I didn't know what else to say. She's just falling apart, Bosco. I'm really worried about her."  
  
Bosco nodded. "I've got her. It'll be okay. We'll get her through this," he said. He helped Kim to the couch and Melanie brought out a hot cup of tea for her. Kim took it, but because her hands were shaking so badly, she was unable to hold it. Bosco helped her get it to her lips and take a sip of the warm liquid. He set the cup down and motioned for Melanie to sit with Kim while he talked to Catherine.  
  
"Where's Joey?" he asked, expecting him to be in the house and probably scared at his mother's distress.  
  
"Jimmy came and picked him up from Melanie when I went to get Kim at the hospital," Catherine said. "He said he's gonna take Joey to his place and tell him what happened."  
  
"Will he be able to handle Joey's reaction? I don't know how Jimmy is with this kind of stuff," Bosco asked.  
  
"He'll be fine with him. He really is good with Joey," Catherine assured Bosco.  
  
"Okay," Bosco said, looking over at his wife and wondering what he should do next. Before he could think of what to do, Kim looked up at him as if she wanted to ask him something, but was afraid. "What, Kim? What is it?" Bosco said, walking over and kneeling in front of her.  
  
She looked at him and said in barely a whisper, "Where's Paulie? Did they find him?"  
  
Bosco took her hands in his and said, "Faith and I found him, Kim. He's in jail. We got him, Kim."  
  
"Is he okay?" she asked much to Bosco's surprise.  
  
"What?" he said, hoping the shock didn't show on his face.  
  
"Bobby'd want to know that he was okay," Kim said, fresh tears falling down her cheeks.  
  
"He's okay. He didn't get hurt. Faith's finishing up the paperwork and then he'll be transported to the hospital to get checked out. He'll get the help he needs," Bosco said, sensing that Kim needed to know that more than she needed to know he'd be going to prison for what he'd done.  
  
Kim nodded her head, suddenly feeling very tired. "Good. That's good. Because Bobby really wanted to help him," she said, leaning back against the couch. "I'm cold," she said and Bosco reached up and pulled the throw off the back of Catherine's couch.  
  
"Why don't you lie down here for a little bit and rest. I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere, okay?" he said, guiding her down on the couch and covering her with the throw.  
  
She nodded agreement and then suddenly said, "Where's Joey? I have to tell Joey."  
  
"Jimmy has Joey. Why don't you let him take Joey for the night, Kim? You really need some time to try and deal with this. And Jimmy's gonna tell Joey what happened. Your Mom said that he'll be really good with him about it, right?" Bosco said, trying to soothe her. She nodded and laid her head back down on the throw pillow. She was out like a light in a matter of minutes, but Bosco stayed right beside her until he was sure she was sound asleep. 


	39. Say Goodbye

"God, I look scary." Kim said quietly.  
  
Bosco looked up from buttoning his shirt. "You're beautiful. You're always beautiful."  
  
Kim met his eyes in the mirror. "I love you. Do I tell you that enough?"  
  
"Yeah. You do. Do I tell you enough?"  
  
"Always." A smile crossed Kim's face. "What time's your mom coming?"  
  
"She'll be here in a few minutes. Jimmy really okay with her watching Joey today?"  
  
"I didn't ask him. He said if we needed someone to watch Joey, he'd ask his mom. I told we had it covered. He probably thinks that it's Mel or Mom," Kim braided her hair and fastened the end with a rubber band. She smoothed the front of her dress down with her hand before she turned to look at Bosco. "I think Joey's mad because I won't let him come with us. I just think he's too young. I told him I'd take him one day next week and let him say good-bye."  
  
"We'll take him." Bosco corrected gently.  
  
"We'll take him."  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it," Kim said. "You finish getting dressed."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Be right there."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kim looked through the peephole and opened the door once she confirmed it was Rose on the other side. "Hey Rose," she hugged the older woman.  
  
"Hi Sweetie. How are you? Did you get the food I sent over?"  
  
"We got it. Thanks. Joey loved the pepperoni bread."  
  
"I'm glad. Where's Maurice?" She asked taking off her jacket and putting it on a hook.  
  
"Still getting dressed. He's almost done though."  
  
Rose looked uncertain.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know quite what to say. I know you've probably heard 'I'm sorry' enough times to make you scream but it just seems like the only thing to say."  
  
"It's the only thing people can say sometimes but I know you're sorry. Bobby's mom said you sent her a card. She wanted me to thank you."  
  
"He was a wonderful man. I only met him a few times but I know that. He had to be. So many people cared about him."  
  
"Yeah they did." Kim said over the lump in her throat.  
  
"Where's Joey? I thought I'd take him for breakfast."  
  
"That'll be good. Joey? Rose is here."  
  
Joey came out of his room and smiled at Rose. "Hi."  
  
"Hey Joey. You hungry? We can go to Markie's. You like pancakes, right?"  
  
Joey smiled. "Yeah I do."  
  
"Go get ready sweetie."  
  
"Okay." Joey ran back to his room.  
  
"Rose, thank you."  
  
"You just get through today. Joey's taken care of."  
  
"Right." Kim nodded.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Jimmy looked around the cemetery as people started to gather around the grave. He hadn't made it to the church service, he'd had to work for one of the guys who was out with the flu but Cap had called in someone from a station up town so he could make it to the burial.  
  
"Jimmy."  
  
"Hey Alex."  
  
"I didn't think you were gonna make it."  
  
"Cap called in someone from up town to fill in. How was the church?"  
  
"Sad but nice too. His mom said a few things and so did his sisters."  
  
"Kim?"  
  
"No, she didn't feel up to it. Bosco got up and read something that she and Joey had written. It was sweet."  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"I'm okay. We may not have been a romantic match but I was beginning to find out how good a friend he was."  
  
"That he was. Even when he didn't like you he could be a pretty decent friend."  
  
Alex nodded. "Have you talked to Kim?"  
  
"Once. I told her I'd tell Joey."  
  
"How'd he take it?"  
  
"Not well. I think he's still a little mad that Kim and I wouldn't let him come today. We think he's too young."  
  
"Yeah." Alex nodded. "I think they're ready to start."  
  
Jimmy nodded. He looked around till he found Kim. She was standing with Bosco. He was glad she had someone there for her. He didn't want to think about what would happen if she didn't. 


	40. A Silver Lining

It had been a long day and they finally made it home. Joey was asleep in his own bed for the first time in three days and Kim knelt alongside the bed watching her son sleep and stroking his hair. Despite being exhausted from the day at Bobby's mother's house after the funeral and cemetery (Kim brought Joey with her to play with Bobby's nieces and nephews), it took her quite awhile to get him to sleep. He was still trying to understand why it had happened - something that Kim hadn't really been able to explain because she didn't understand it all herself. So all she could do was to be there for Joey and try to comfort him.  
  
Bosco had finally finished picking at and putting away the leftover food that Mrs. Caffey had insisted they take home. He chuckled to himself as he remembered Mrs. Caffey telling Kim, "A good appetite this one has. A good eater, like my Bobby. I like this boy," she said as she pinched the side of his face.  
  
He looked into the living room and saw that Kim wasn't there. "Maybe she went right to bed after she got Joey to sleep," he thought to himself, remembering how tired she had been lately. He walked down the hallway and noticed her still alongside Joey's bed, sound asleep with her head on the side of his bed. He walked in and gently woke her. "Hey. Wouldn't you be more comfortable in our room?" he whispered to her, helping her to her feet.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep and leave you with the mess in the kitchen," she said apologetically, looking down at Joey to see that he was fast asleep.  
  
"It's okay," Bosco smiled. "I had my breakfast a little early," he kidded her, rubbing his full stomach.  
  
Kim smiled and leaned against him as Bosco put an arm around her shoulder. "I think he'll finally sleep good. I think bringing him to Mrs. Caffey's house was a good idea - made him feel a part of things," she said looking at her son and then at her husband.  
  
"I think you're right, Kim. So, how're you doing?" he asked her as they slowly walked back out to the living room. "You've been looking pretty worn out lately - even before this happened," he noted.  
  
She shrugged. "I'm okay. I think I'm just a little run down from the wedding and honeymoon and then Bobby," she said sadly. "Bos, I don't know what I would have done without you. I think I would have lost it completely. You saved me," she said, looking at him lovingly.  
  
"That's what I'm here for. And, I'm not going anywhere," he said, taking her into his arms. "You want something to eat?"  
  
Kim turned up her nose, "Uhhh. No. My stomach's been kind of off for the last couple of weeks. Actually, I think I'm gonna turn in. Want to watch the news on the TV in the bedroom?" she said to him.  
  
"Yeah. Go ahead and I'll lock up," he said, watching her walk down the hallway. "Maybe she's right. She's just worn out from the past few months," he thought to himself as he turned off the lights and locked up the front door. He walked down the hallway and checked again on Joey and then went into the bedroom and found Kim sound asleep on the bed, the TV remote in her hand. He got undressed and got into bed next to her. She automatically snuggled up against Bosco and he took the remote from her hand and watched a little of the news before turning it off and falling asleep himself.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim woke with a start in the middle of the night. "What woke me up?" she thought to herself, listening to see if it was Joey that had called her. She carefully got out of bed so she didn't wake up Bosco and walked up the hallway to check on Joey. He was still sound asleep and she listened to his rhythmic breathing for a moment. She walked out to the kitchen to get a glass of water and felt a hunger pang. She reached into the cabinet and took out a couple of crackers. She ate them as she looked out the window at the darkened street below.  
  
Suddenly, something struck her. She hadn't really had time to think about it over the last few days, but she was late. She glanced at the calendar on the refrigerator and counted off the days. She'd always been right on time and here she was four days late. "It must be from the stress of what happened to Bobby," she thought to herself, remembering that she'd had the same problem when she and Jimmy had broken up. Then, she thought of how tired she'd been and how her stomach had been off for a few weeks. She put a hand to her belly and said to herself, "It can't be. We've been using protection."  
  
She finished her water and walked back into the bedroom and got back into bed. Bosco stirred slightly and mumbled, "Okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Just thirsty," she said, cuddling up next to him again. But, she couldn't go back to sleep because her mind wouldn't let her not think about the possibility. And then, the excitement of the possibility kept her awake.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco woke up to the sound of Joey in the room with him, shaking him. "Bosco? Do you know where Mom is? Bosco?" Bosco opened his eyes and looked at the clock to see that it was 7:45 in the morning. He sat up and looked around the room.  
  
"Hey, Buddy. What're you doing up so early?" Bosco asked as he reached over for his pants and put them on.  
  
"I was hungry. But I can't find Mom," Joey said.  
  
Bosco frowned and tousled Joey's hair. "Let's take a walk out to the kitchen and see if she's out there."  
  
"I looked already. She's not anywhere," Joey said, getting nervous. Bosco put an arm around his shoulder.  
  
"Hey. I'm sure she's fine. She likes to go for a walk in the morning sometimes, remember?" he said, looking out at the sunny morning. "Let's see if she left a note," he said, noticing that there was fresh coffee made and a piece of paper next to the coffee pot. He picked up the note and read it.  
  
"See. I told you she's okay. Says here that she went for a walk and to get some fresh, hot bagels for you. She should be back any minute. Why don't you go see if there's any cartoons on. Isn't it time for Power Rangers?" he said, looking at the clock on the microwave.  
  
"Okay," Joey said and he turned to run into the living room and turn on the television.  
  
About two minutes later, Kim came walking through the door with a couple of bags in her hand and a big smile on her face. "Well, you look good this morning. Have a nice walk?" Bosco said.  
  
"Are you saying I don't look good most mornings?" she said, trapping him.  
  
"Um- Well-, no, of course not. It's just that, well, you look brighter today. Maybe it's because the sun is out today," he said, trying to dig out of that hole.  
  
She laughed and threw the bag of bagels at him, "Fix Joey a bagel, will you. I'll be right back," she said, walking down the hallway with the other bag in her hand. Bosco didn't notice and yelled to Joey, "Bagels! Get 'em while they're hot!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco came down the hallway looking for Kim and found her sitting on the edge of the bed. "Kim? You okay?" he said, taking in the weird look on her face.  
  
She looked up at him. "C'mere and sit down for a minute," she said to him. "I want to ask you something. I've been thinking," she started and was interrupted.  
  
"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good," he teased. She pushed him and continued.  
  
"What do you think about having a baby?" she said and looked over to see a stunned look on his face.  
  
"A baby? Um, I don't know. You know we never really talked about it," he said, thinking for a moment. "Why, do you want to try?"  
  
"I want to know what you think about it first," she said.  
  
Bosco thought for a moment and then finally said, "Yeah. I'd love that. I think I'd really love that." He looked over at her and saw a tear in her eyes as she held up something that looked like a pen.  
  
"What's this?" he asked, taking it from her. He looked at it and saw there was a little box with a pink "+" sign in it.  
  
"That's your baby, Bosco. You're going to be a Daddy," she said, waiting for his reaction.  
  
After staring at the stick for a minute, he looked over at Kim. "What did you just say? How?" Kim noticed the pale look on his face.  
  
"Whoa! Are you okay? I said, you're gonna be a Daddy! I woke up last night and realized that I was late and then I thought about how tired I've been lately and with my stomach problems. I blamed it all on being tired out, but then it hit me. I went out early this morning to get this kit so I could know for sure. I guess they're right when they birth control is never absolute. So, what do you think? Are you mad?" she asked, trying to read the look that she'd never seen on his face before.  
  
"What do I think? I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world!" he said, grabbing onto her and hugging her. He put a hand on her stomach. "I can't believe I'm gonna have a kid," he said in awe. "Thank you, Kim. I love you so much." They kissed and then Joey walked into the room and interrupted them.  
  
"Can I have some milk?" he said.  
  
"Absolutely," Bosco said. "You rest, Kim. I'll get it for him."  
  
"Oh, don't even think you're gonna start that crap, Boscorelli," she called after him. "C'mere you," she said to Joey. "I want a hug." 


	41. Being Sure

"Hi guys." Kim took a seat with Bosco and Faith one afternoon, later that week.  
  
"Hey." Bosco kissed her. "So?"  
  
"She said that the results were right."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Kim nodded.  
  
"Okay, that's it. Will one of you please tell me what's going on?" Faith interrupted. "He has been driving me crazy all day. He keeps checking his watch every five minutes and looking to see if his cell phone is on. What is going on?"  
  
"You didn't tell her?" Kim asked.  
  
"I wanted to wait till we were sure."  
  
"Oh. Well we are now."  
  
"Good," Faith interrupted again. "Now spill."  
  
"Faith, how do you feel about being a godmother?" Bosco asked.  
  
"Are you serious?" Faith asked, with a grin.  
  
"Yeah. I took a home test a few days ago and to confirm it, I had Dr. Morales run a test earlier today and I got the results on my last run," Kim told her.  
  
"This is so great," Faith gushed. "Oh my God! Bosco, you're gonna be a dad."  
  
"Yeah, I know. Weird huh?"  
  
"Wonderful is the word I'd use. You're gonna be a great dad."  
  
"This is what I keep telling him," Kim grinned.  
  
"So does anyone else know?"  
  
"No. We wanted to be sure before we started to share the news. Now that we are, I think I should tell Jimmy before we tell Joey," Kim said.  
  
"Probably a good idea. We tell Joey tomorrow at breakfast?"  
  
"Sounds good." Kim nodded. "For now, I better go tell Doc we can go. He's probably wondering what happened to me." She kissed Bosco. "See you after work."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye Faith."  
  
"See you. And congratulations."  
  
"Thanks," Kim smiled.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Jimmy? Hey, you got a sec?"  
  
"Sure," the firefighter nodded. "How you doing?"  
  
"I'm better." Kim said. "As a matter of fact I haven't felt this good in a long time."  
  
"Really? Why? What's up?"  
  
"I'm pregnant. Bosco and I are gonna have a baby."  
  
"What?" Jimmy stared.  
  
"I found out for sure a few hours ago. I wanted to tell you before we tell Joey."  
  
"Wow. That was fast."  
  
"Yeah, I know. We weren't even thinking about it but it happened and it feels right."  
  
"Kim, I think it's great," he hugged her. "Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks." Kim smiled. "Anyway, we're telling Joey in the morning so he'll probably say something to you this weekend."  
  
"Yeah." Jimmy nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Right. Night."  
  
"Night." Jimmy echoed as he watched Kim walk away. 


	42. Sharing

"Hey, Doc. I need to talk to you for a minute. Do you have some time now?" Kim asked her supervisor as they were both preparing to leave for the night.  
  
"Sure. Just give me a minute to put this stuff away," he said, referring to the paperwork from the day's calls.  
  
"Okay if we use the Captain's Office?" she said, causing him to stop and turn toward her.  
  
"Am I gonna like this?" Doc asked her.  
  
"Well.. Yes and no," she answered, watching worry come across his face. "But, it is really a good thing," she added.  
  
"Alright. I'll be right there," he said, turning to continue to file his paperwork.  
  
"What'd you want to talk to Doc about?" asked Carlos coming up behind her. She rolled her eyes, thinking that everyone had left already.  
  
"Well, if it was any of your business right now, I'd include you in the meeting," she said meanly, instantly regretting her tone. "Sorry. That was mean. It's no big deal and I'll tell you too, but I just want to run it by Doc first, okay?"  
  
Carlos shrugged and said, "Sure." He walked away, but Kim could tell the curiosity was killing him. She walked into the Captain's office and was soon joined by Doc.  
  
"Okay," he sighed, sitting down on a chair across from her. "What's up?"  
  
"Well, I know you've noticed that I've been pretty exhausted for the last few weeks because you've asked me and Bosco a couple of times if I was okay," she started and Doc nodded his agreement.  
  
"Kim. I was just concern.." he started before Kim interrupted him.  
  
"I know, Doc. It's okay. I appreciate your concern. But, I just wanted to let you know that I started to worry about it as well and I went to the doctor to get checked out," she said, not wanting to get into her home test and everything.  
  
"Kim. Are you okay," Doc said, starting to get alarmed.  
  
"Yes. I'm fine. Really. I just wanted to let you know that I'm pregnant," she said with a smile on her face. Doc's mouth dropped open for a moment.  
  
When he finally recovered, he looked at Kim with a smile and said, "Kim, that's great. I'm really happy for you and Bosco. Really," he said, standing up to give her a hug. Kim stood up also and returned the hug.  
  
"So, when are you due?" Doc asked. "And what does the doctor say about you working?"  
  
"Well, I'm due in late September. I'm in my first trimester. The doctor said I could continue to work as long as I feel comfortable for now. Of course, I'm concerned about getting sent on a call that could expose me to chemicals or illnesses that could affect my pregnancy, but I can take routine calls without a problem," she said.  
  
"Hmm. Let me think on that for a little bit. I understand your concerns and I agree with them. What's Bosco think of you working?" Doc asked her.  
  
"You know, I don't even think he even thought about that yet, Doc. It's something that we have to discuss. I just don't want him going overboard with sheltering me," she said.  
  
"That's gonna be hard for him. You know that, right?" Doc asked her.  
  
"I know. But, it's nice to have someone to worry about me like that," she said with a smile. "Well, that's all I wanted to say for now. I guess until we make a decision about my working, we'll just wing it for a couple of days, okay?" Kim said, standing back up again.  
  
"Sounds good to me, Kim. Let me know if anything changes. I have a couple of ideas on how we can keep you on the payroll throughout your pregnancy, but let me work it out first," Doc said.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Your welcome. And congratulations again, Kim," he said, hugging her again. 


	43. The Grandmas

"Did you tell your mom what we wanted to talk to her about?" Bosco asked Kim as they drove toward Rose Boscorelli's bar.  
  
"No. Did you?" Kim looked over at him.  
  
"No."  
  
"Think they know what's coming?"  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
"Good," Kim smiled. "I want this to be a complete surprise."  
  
"It will be."  
  
"How are you so sure?"  
  
"You really think our moms expected us to procreate so soon?"  
  
"I know we didn't."  
  
"That's for damn sure."  
  
"It feels weird to be so happy so soon," Kim said quietly.  
  
"He would've been the first one to congratulate us Kim."  
  
"Yeah I know. Life goes on, right?" She smiled when Bosco picked up her hand. "He would've made a great godfather."  
  
"Yes he would have," Bosco agreed. "Did you think anymore about a second choice?"  
  
"Not really. I don't have any other guy I'm that close too, except for you and you've already got a job title for when this baby's born." She looked over at him. "You sure you don't wanna ask Mikey?"  
  
"Positive. We're brothers, yeah, but I don't think he'd be right for this job."  
  
Kim nodded.  
  
"What about asking Melanie and just giving the baby two godmothers?"  
  
"She's Joey's godmother."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Kim was quiet for a little while before she spoke again, "Would you have any objections to Doc?"  
  
"Being Godfather?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"No. You think he'd do it?"  
  
"I think he would, yeah."  
  
"Ask him. If he says no, we'll ask Davis."  
  
"Okay." Kim giggled.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
"Hi Mom." Bosco hugged his mother. "Hey Catherine."  
  
"Mom, you're early." Kim hugged her mother.  
  
"Hello to you too Kim," Catherine laughed.  
  
"I'm sorry. Hi. Have you been here long?"  
  
"A little while. Rose and I had a drink while we waited. How was work?"  
  
"It was good. Rose, something smells wonderful."  
  
Rose smiled. "Thanks. I'm not much of a cook but there are some things I can make without burning."  
  
"I know that story." Kim said. "I learned it growing up." At her mother's look, "My grandmother was an awful cook."  
  
Bosco snorted. "Kim, you want something to drink?"  
  
"Rose, do you have grape juice or something?"  
  
"I can manage that."  
  
"No wine?" Catherine asked.  
  
"No," Kim shook her head. She glanced at Bosco. 'Now?' her expression said.  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
"We have something we need to tell you guys. That's why we wanted to have dinner," Kim started. "Thanks Rose," she said when Rose handed her some juice.  
  
"Sure. Now what's this news?"  
  
"Rose, Mom, I'm pregnant." Kim could barely contain her smile.  
  
"Oh my God," Catherine gasped.  
  
"I'm gonna be a grandmother," Rose said.  
  
"You'll love it. Trust me," Catherine told her. She hugged Kim and then Bosco. "I'm so happy for you both."  
  
"Thanks Mom." 


	44. Those Words

The game had already started when Kim and Joey arrived. It was a pretty chilly day so they had waited a little while to get there. "No sense in everyone being numb," she had thought to herself. And so, she sent Bosco on ahead and told Jimmy that she'd bring Joey over with her after she made some hot chocolate for everyone. It was the yearly flag football game between the 55th Precinct's firefighters and police officers. And, as usual, tempers were starting to heat up. It was all in good fun and all 'offensive' remarks and actions were forgotten by the time the group got to Haggerty's afterwards.  
  
So they walked around the outside of the field and took a seat on the bleachers after Kim put a thick blanket down to keep their bottoms warm. Then, she wrapped a blanket around herself. She offered to let Joey in, but he had decided to tough it out with the guys. "Okay," Kim said. "But don't come crying to me when you have a cold," she joked pulling the blanket tighter around herself.  
  
"Aw, Mom," Joey said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Hey! I'm not shy. I'll take you up on that," said Faith Yokas from behind her.  
  
"Sure. C'mon down, Faith," Kim said, opening up the blanket and draping it over both of their shoulders when Faith had taken a seat alongside her.  
  
"Great idea," Faith said. "I never even thought of it. I don't usually come to these things, but with the 'words' between Jimmy and Bosco last night, I couldn't resist," she joked.  
  
Kim looked at Faith with a puzzled look. "What do you mean 'words,'?" Kim said.  
  
"Bosco didn't tell you?" Faith said with a surprised look. "Jimmy laid down the gauntlet last night at the fire on 120th and Arthur. He said 'those' words to Bosco and that was it," Faith.  
  
Kim put her face in her hands and moaned, "Oh no. Not 'those' words."  
  
"Yup. I believe Jimmy's exact words were, 'Are you ready to get your ass kicked tomorrow afternoon, Little Man?'" Faith repeated. "Yup, that was it," she said thinking about it to make sure she'd quoted him correctly.  
  
"Oh no. This is NOT gonna be good," Kim said, starting to worry.  
  
"Relax, Kim. Nothing's happened so far," Faith said just as Jimmy tried to intercept the ball from Bosco. Both Bosco and Jimmy had missed the ball, but not before Jimmy landed hard on Bosco. Kim could almost hear the breath being forced out of Bosco as he landed on the ground under Jimmy. Some remarks were made between the officers and the firefighters, but those on the sidelines couldn't hear them. Jimmy stood up and held out a hand to help Bosco up. Bosco was slow to get up, but refused to accept Jimmy's help.  
  
"Okay. Here we go," Kim said, standing up and throwing the blanket off her shoulders.  
  
Davis ran by along the sidelines and saw Kim stand up. "He's okay. He's just pissed," he told Kim.  
  
Kim sat back down, but on the edge of the seat. "Jimmy's been acting really childish lately," Kim said to Faith.  
  
"Is that anything new?" Faith said.  
  
"Actually, he's a little worse lately. I don't think he likes the idea of this baby. And he's been insisting on being consulted on every decision regarding Joey - no matter how minor. I really don't know what's going on," Kim said to Faith.  
  
Faith looked at Kim with a smirk on her face. "What?" Kim asked.  
  
"Now that you're going to have two kids in the house, you better learn to recognize the signs," she said.  
  
"Signs? What signs? Signs about what?" Kim asked, not understanding.  
  
"The green-headed monster, Kim. The "J" word. Jealousy," she said finally, making Kim understand.  
  
"No!" Kim said and then thought for a moment. "You think?"  
  
"Oh yeah. I get it from Emily and Charlie all the time. And Fred for that matter sometimes too," Faith said, shaking her head up and down.  
  
Kim looked back at Bosco and Jimmy in time to see them collide again. This time it was Bosco taking Jimmy down by clipping him at the knees. More words were exchanged and the other teammates tried to get the two into a better mood.  
  
"Oh God, Faith. I think you're right," Kim said.  
  
"I know I'm right," she answered. "Now we just have to wait and see who says 'He started it' first," Faith finished.  
  
"Oh it was definitely Jimmy," Kim said, starting to joke around now.  
  
"Oh. The protective mother cub comes out," Faith joked back. "Play nice, boys!" Faith yelled out to the two who both looked back with a nasty look.  
  
"Whew! If looks could kill, I'd need a bus right now," she said.  
  
"Mom?" Joey said at Kim's side.  
  
"Yeah, Joey?" Kim answered.  
  
"Why are Dad and Bosco mad at each other?" Joey said, noticing the tension between the two men.  
  
"I don't know, Joey. They're just acting like little kids right now. A lot of men do that when they're playing sports," Kim tried to explain. Faith chuckled under her breath.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^  
  
They were into the second half, having taken a short half time to have hot chocolate and other assorted beverages - some of which you had to be 21 to partake of. Jimmy was over talking and laughing with Joey and Bosco had come over to Kim and Faith.  
  
"Bos? What's going on out there?" Kim asked him.  
  
"What?! He started it," Bosco said defensively. Faith nudged Kim with her elbow and laughed.  
  
Before Kim could say anything, the referee blew the whistle for the second half to start. Bosco put a hand on Kim's belly and gave her a kiss before he returned to the game.  
  
About the second play of the game, Kim and Faith couldn't really tell what caused it, but the flags came off on both teams and they were playing full- on tackle football.  
  
A few plays later and it happened. Bosco and Jimmy went at each other hard and after everyone had unpiled, the two remained laying on the field. Kim and Faith both stood up as team members gathered around the two. Finally each was helped up and over to the sidelines where Doc and Carlos came over to check them out. The two medics were on duty so they weren't able to play in today's game. They decided just to hang out and watch and be there to patch the players up after the inevitable, yearly brawl. Kim and Faith slowly made their way over to the two, trying not to look too motherly. Kim saw the look of pain on both Bosco's and Jimmy's faces. Doc was listening to Bosco's chest and Carlos was cleaning off and bandaging a cut above Jimmy's eye.  
  
After a moment, Doc walked over to Kim and Faith. "We're gonna have to take them in to get checked out," Doc said.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?" Kim asked slightly concerned.  
  
"Nothing major. I think Jimmy probably has a mild concussion - he was knocked out for a couple of seconds - and I think Bosco may have cracked a rib or two," he said.  
  
"Okay. I'll get Bosco's car and meet you over at Mercy," Kim said. "You coming?" she asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, absolutely," she responded with a smirk on her face. Before they left, Kim walked over to the two men sitting in the back of the ambulance. Both men saw her coming over and simultaneously said, "Uh oh."  
  
"What the hell's the matter with you two?! You should be ashamed of yourselves," she said to both of them. "That's a fine way to act in front of your kid," she said to Jimmy. And to Bosco she said, "You better not EVER do that in front of our kid!" They both started to defend themselves, but were met with Kim's hand and an "I don't want to even hear it," before she turned and walked quickly away with Joey and Faith by her side.  
  
"Yikes!" Carlos said.  
  
"Shut up!" both men said. 


	45. Words of Her Own

"Still mad at me?" Bosco said once the doctor left them alone.  
  
"I'm not mad. Okay I'm not Ithat/I mad. I just don't know what his problem is."  
  
"So you're blaming Jimmy?" Bosco brightened up.  
  
"You're not completely off the hook, so wipe that smile off your face," Kim said sternly. "I just wish he'd get over this."  
  
"What exactly is his problem anyway? I thought he got over the problems he had with me being in Joey's life."  
  
"Some how I don't think Joey's the problem this time. I think it's the whole thing where I'm happy and his wife won't speak to him."  
  
"Brooke still won't talk to him, huh?"  
  
"They came to an understanding. If he comes around, she'll shoot him."  
  
Bosco laughed and groaned. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts."  
  
"Okay. You're lucky. It could've been worse."  
  
"You should see the other guy."  
  
"What a good idea. I'll be right back." Kim got up from her chair and headed for the door. She looked over her shoulder. "I'll send Faith in to keep you company."  
  
"Why? What are you gonna do?"  
  
"Talk to Jimmy."  
  
"Rip him a new one for me baby." Bosco kidded.  
  
Kim shot him a look before she left the room.  
  
She walked down the hall and finally found him in an exam room. She pushed open the door and put her hands on her hips. "Hi Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy looked at his ex-wife. Oh boy. "Hi Kimmy."  
  
"Don't 'Kimmy' me. You were a jackass today. What the hell is the matter with you?"  
  
"Hey I wasn't the only one-"  
  
"Shut up. I heard about what you said to Bosco last night. You always have to fan the flames don't you? This rivalry between firefighters and cops is supposed to be good-natured. But you always have to act like a big man. Let me tell you something Jimmy. The only thing you did today was act like an ass. Although I really don't know why I'm surprised. You were an ass when we were married, you were an ass when we broke up, in fact that's why we broke up, you were an ass when I told you about me and Bosco, and you and were an ass to Brooke."  
  
"Okay, I'm an ass. Are you done?"  
  
"No. I don't know why, but Joey seems to worship the ground you walk on. So the next time you want to act like some spoiled brat who didn't get his way, I would think long and hard about the message you're sending to your son." Kim took a deep breath. "Now I am done. Good night." With that, she walked out of his room. 


	46. Ganged Up On

"No. I just don't like it. It's too dangerous," Bosco argued again for the fifth time that day.  
  
"Why are you guys fightin?" Joey said, coming out of his room.  
  
"We're not fighting, Joey. We're disagreeing," Bosco said, but he could tell that Joey was scared that this family was going to break up too. He knelt down next to Joey and explained. "You see, Joey, I'm just worried about Mom," he said. "You know she's having a little brother or sister and I'm worried that she's gonna get hurt at work. I just think it's time for her to stop until after the baby's born so that they both stay safe," he finished.  
  
Kim watched him talking to her son. Even though Jimmy was still a big part of Joey's life, Joey had taken to Bosco and considered him a second father. Kim loved watching the two interact and it only convinced her more of what a great father he'd be.  
  
She looked at Joey and saw him thinking. Suddenly Joey looked up at her and said, "Bosco's right, Mom. You should stop until after the baby." She looked over at Bosco to see the look of satisfaction on his face.  
  
She put her hand on her growing belly and gave a big sigh. "Alright. I'll talk to Doc at work tomorrow," she said.  
  
"No. Call him now," Bosco said and handed her the phone. "Please, Kim? Last night was too close."  
  
Bosco was referring to the call that Kim had at the bodega on King and 135th.  
  
############ Alex and Kim had been dispatched there for a caller reporting an unknown injury. When they'd arrived they grabbed their standard gear and headed into the bodega. They found an elderly man lying on the floor near the counter. He was bleeding from what appeared to be a stab wound to his abdomen. Alex had notified the dispatcher of the stab injury and asked for police to respond to take a report.  
  
The two medics had started assessing their patient when they heard something fall from a shelf. They turned to look behind them and saw a young man dressed in dirty, ratty clothes and holding a knife. He had a couple days' growth of beard and looked filthy. The man came forward since he'd been seen and placed himself between the medics and the door. He brandished the knife in front of him. "I want money," he said nastily. Kim turned toward the man while Alex continued to work on the patient and keep an eye on the man at the same time. Kim slowly moved her hand so that it rested against her portable radio and keyed the microphone while she was talking.  
  
"Whoa," Kim said. "Look, we just got a call saying that someone was injured here at King and 135th. We don't have any money with us, just our equipment," she said, trying to sound calm. She kept her hand on the transmit button so that the entire conversation would go out to the dispatcher and be relayed to the police that were responding.  
  
"I'm the one that called you. I don't want the old man to die, but I need money. I can't get the register open and he was stupid so I had to hurt him. But, then he fell over and I can't get the register open," the man said.  
  
"Well, we just want to treat this man and get him to a hospital so he doesn't die. We don't care what or where you go as long as you don't interfere with what we have to do. We're not cops, but they always send the police on calls like this, so if I was you I'd get out of here now," Kim said, trying to scare the man away.  
  
"Kim," Alex said. "This guy's not doing too well. We need to get him out of here and soon." Kim nodded her understanding as she heard sirens in the distance. The man heard them too and the look of panic on his face worsened. He walked toward the counter where Kim was standing and Kim started to move away. Before she realized it, he reached out and grabbed onto her. Fortunately, she was able to keep the microphone keyed.  
  
"Look. Just leave us alone and we won't tell the cops about you. You can take off and get out of here. You hear them coming, right? Just leave and let us take care of this guy," Kim said, still trying to sound calm despite the rising fear within her.  
  
The man firmed his grip on Kim and pulled her behind the counter. Alex stood up and took a step toward the man. The man put the knife next to Kim's neck and said, "Don't do anything stupid. She's gonna open the register for me and as soon as I get the money, I'm outta here." As soon as he'd finished his sentence the sound of tires screeching to a halt were heard. Suddenly, Kim remembered that Bosco was working today and was most likely one of the first-arriving officers.  
  
"You know. My husband's a cop here in the 55th and how do you think he's gonna take it when he finds out that you have me in here with his unborn child?" Kim said, looking at Alex. Kim mouthed the words for her to run. She was afraid that the man would let her go and take Alex hostage instead.  
  
"What?!" the man said, loosening his grip somewhat, but not completely. Alex took a few steps toward the door and was in the doorway when she felt a hand reach in and pull her back. Before anyone knew what had happened, Davis had reached in and grabbed Alex and pulled her outside to safety, leaving Kim and the patient inside.  
  
"Look, I just need you to open the register," the man said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I need to get some drugs then I'll feel better and be able to think."  
  
"Well, there's no drugs for you here. You're gonna have to give it up and let us take you to Mercy to get some treatment. I'll take you with me when we bring this guy into the hospital. We'll get you feeling better. I promise," Kim said, stalling for time so that the NYPD could formulate a plan.  
  
Suddenly, at the same time that Kim heard the noise, the man had released her and was on the ground with Bosco on top of him with his gun pointed in the man's ear. "Are you alright?" Bosco asked Kim calmly. Bosco had come around to the back door of the store and entered through the alley.  
  
"Yeah. I'm okay," she said, kneeling down to continue working on the patient.  
  
Faith came in behind Bosco, "I've got him, Bos. Bosco?" Kim looked over and saw the look on her husband's face and noticed the gun still pointed at the man's temple.  
  
"Bosco! I'm okay. He's just an addict. He doesn't even know what he was doing. Don't hurt him. I'm okay, Baby," Kim said to Bosco. Bosco slowly regained his composure and got off the man, allowing Faith to take over.  
  
He walked over to kneel next to Kim and said, "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yes, we're fine, but I need Alex and the stretcher in here or this guy's gonna buy it," she said, looking Bosco in the eye and seeing the fear and anger there. She knew she was in for a conversation later tonight. ###########  
  
And so, Kim dialed the station and asked for Doc. When Doc got on the phone, Kim said, "Hey Doc. I need to talk to you about something. You got a couple of minutes?" Kim started to talk and Bosco took Joey into the other room.  
  
After a few minutes, Kim came into Joey's room where Bosco and Joey were playing video games. Bosco looked up at her, waiting for her to fill him in.  
  
"It's all set. He was just waiting for me to tell him when it was time. I'm off the streets until after my maternity leave," she said. "Doc set it up so that I could do all the paperwork on the runs and help out with the scheduling and stuff. So, basically I'd be doing Doc's job and he'd be doing mine. Of course, any decisions of a supervisory nature would have to come from him. Happy?" she said to her husband.  
  
Bosco stood up and took Kim in his arms, "Very. You understand, right? I'm just scared for you and the baby."  
  
Kim hugged him back and kissed his lips, "Yeah. I understand and you're right. It was time." She took in a sharp breath and put a hand on her stomach and Bosco got scared.  
  
"What? What is it?" he asked, but relaxed a little when he saw the smile on her face. She took his hand and placed it on her belly and he felt his baby move for the first time. 


	47. Just Another Night

"You had the ginger ale, right Kim?"  
  
"Yeah. That and the nachos." She smiled at Faith. "Bosco make you his pack mule?"  
  
"I volunteered. He's busy showing Joey and Charlie this cool new game he got."  
  
"I swear he gets more excited about those video games then Joey does."  
  
"So, have you and Bos decided to find out what you're having?"  
  
"We're waiting to be surprised."  
  
"Have you discussed names yet?" Faith said, taking a seat beside her on the couch and opening her taco.  
  
"Yeah we have," Kim smiled. "Kathleen Rose, if it's a girl and if it's a boy, John Robert."  
  
"I like that. Did you tell Mrs. Caffey that you two are having a baby?"  
  
"A couple of weeks ago." Kim nodded. "She was really happy. Especially when we told her about the names. She got all teary."  
  
"How's she doing?"  
  
"Okay. It's not the easiest thing to get over but I think she's working on it."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"Getting through. It helps to know I'm not alone." Kim said quietly.  
  
"So, how did Bosco finally convince you to take maternity leave?"  
  
"The incident at the bodega the other day was the clincher for both of us. Then, of course, there was the part where he got Joey to back him up."  
  
"Bosco's so sneaky sometimes."  
  
"Yeah, but it's sweet too." Kim smiled when she heard the cheering coming from Joey's room. "Looks like someone won."  
  
Faith laughed. "Hey guys, dinner!"  
  
Charlie and Joey came racing in. "Mom, we beat Bosco!" Joey said excitedly.  
  
"That's my boy." Kim smiled as Bosco came out with a grin on his face. She knew that smile. While losing to Jimmy was a problem, losing to Joey was fun for him.  
  
The doorbell rang and Kim looked at her watch. Speaking of Jimmy.  
  
"Joey, that's probably your dad. Why don't you go get your stuff?"  
  
"I'll get the door," Bosco said getting up.  
  
"You sure that Jimmy's okay taking Joey and Charlie this weekend?"  
  
"Jimmy can't say no to Joey. Besides he begged." Kim giggled.  
  
Bosco came back in, followed by Jimmy.  
  
"Jimmy, you remember Charlie, right?"  
  
"Sure." Jimmy smiled. "Hey Charlie. How ya doing?"  
  
"Good."  
  
"Joey ready to go?"  
  
"Joey?" Kim called.  
  
"I'm coming Mom." Joey called back.  
  
"You be good for Joey's dad this weekend okay Charlie?"  
  
"I will Mom."  
  
Jimmy smiled. "I'll bring him home tomorrow around six before I drop Joey off, okay?"  
  
"Sounds good," Faith smiled.  
  
Charlie hugged his mom and Joey hugged Kim and then Bosco before they left.  
  
"Faith thinks we should have a party." Bosco said.  
  
"Subtlety is not your strong suit Bos," Faith told him, rolling her eyes.  
  
"I think it's a good idea," Kim said. "It'll certainly be a while before we can do something like that after the baby gets here."  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
"We'll have it at Mom's." Bosco said.  
  
"She won't mind?"  
  
"Nah. I think she'd enjoy it."  
  
"Let's have a party then." Kim smiled. 


	48. Talking Enough

Bosco opened and closed the door quietly behind him. He turned the deadbolt and hung his jacket on the hook near the door, placing his keys in the bowl on the table in the hallway. He expected everyone to be asleep, but was surprised when he saw that Kim was half sitting and half lying on the couch, sleeping with her head resting on her arm. He watched her for a moment, but she must have felt someone watching her and woke up.  
  
Bosco saw her jump when she caught sight of his figure in the dark. "It's me, Babe. I'm sorry. I just like watching you sleep sometimes," Bosco said.  
  
"Hey you. I was waiting for you. Tough night?" she asked him, sitting up and motioning for him to come and sit next to her.  
  
Bosco sat on the couch with a heavy sigh. "Yeah, pretty bad," he said, massaging his temples.  
  
"Headache?"  
  
"Yeah, a monster," he replied. Kim got up and got him some Tylenol and a glass of water. She returned to the couch and waited for him to take them.  
  
"I figured. You didn't sound good on the phone earlier. Want to talk about it?" she said, turning to start massaging his shoulders. She couldn't believe how tensed up he was.  
  
"I don't know. I don't like bringing this crap home," he said, closing his eyes and feeling some of the tenseness being worked out of his shoulders and neck.  
  
She saw some of the frown lines start to fade and said, "Why don't you lie down and put your head on my lap. I'll rub your temples. That always helps, right?"  
  
He smiled and opened one eye to look at her. "How do you remember all the stuff that I like? I feel like I don't know half of what to do to make you feel better."  
  
"You're doin' just fine as far as I'm concerned. Anyone that could pull me through losing Bobby knows exactly what to do," she said as he settled on the couch and put his head in her lap and looked up at her.  
  
She started to rub his temples and he closed his eyes again. "So?" she said.  
  
"How's the bambino?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
"The bambino's fine. You're changing the subject. It might help to talk about it. I really don't mind, you know. You've listened to my whining enough," she said.  
  
"I know. I'll get there. Let me just catch up, okay?"  
  
"Mmmm. Whatever you need to do. I'm not goin' anywhere," she said, feeling him start to unwind. "Did you eat? Are you hungry?"  
  
"Yeah, we grabbed a quick bite. I'm fine. How'd Joey do at his ball game today? Sorry I missed it. Was he really upset?" he asked. He and Faith had planned on taking their dinner break early so that they'd get to see a few innings of Joey's game, but then stuff at work hit the fan and they ran all night long.  
  
"He missed you, but he understands. Jimmy made it this time. He did really well, but he wants to tell you about it. They won," she said in a whisper as if she didn't want Joey to know that she was telling him.  
  
"He's a great kid," Bosco said. Suddenly, he reached up and took hold of her hands and looked at her. "He's okay, right? I mean, he's got good friends and he's doing good in school, right?" he said.  
  
"Yeah, Baby. He's fine. What happened at work, Bos?" she asked, getting concerned at just what he saw that made him act this way. She'd never seen anything at work affect him like this.  
  
"We talk to him enough, right? About drugs and alcohol. He knows how dangerous they are?"  
  
"Maurice. What is it? What happened tonight?" Kim asked him softly.  
  
Bosco looked past Kim up to the ceiling and thought for a minute. "We got this call for a sick person inside this abandoned apartment building. Me and Faith, Sully and Davis, and Doc and Carlos got there. We had our flashlights out and we were looking around and then we found them," he said.  
  
"Them?" Kim said, urging him to continue.  
  
"Kim, it was a whole room full of OD's. There had to have been ten people there. All dead, most of them with the needles still in their arms," he said, and she could feel him start to tense up again.  
  
"That's awful, but you've seen that before, Bos. What was different this time?"  
  
"Nothing about that. I mean, I felt bad and all, but they knew what they were messing with, right? They knew the risks. Anyway, these kinds of things started happening all over the precinct and we found out that it's this new drug on the street - China Red. It's like double or triple strength and people can't take it. Normally, it doesn't bother me. I mean, let 'em do whatever they want to do, but-" he broke off again.  
  
"But what?" she asked.  
  
"Then we got a call to the park later on. The other side of the park where Joey had his ball game. There was this kid - Joey's age - layin' on the ground with a group of kids standing around him. Faith and I got there first and we ran up to ask the kids if he fell and hit his head or something. You'll never believe it, Kim," he said, looking at her. His eyes were wet.  
  
"The kid took some of the drug, right?" Kim said and Bosco nodded.  
  
"He and his friends found it and wanted to see what it was. He was dead, Kim. No breathing, no heartbeat. We got the Automatic Electronic Defibrillator out of the trunk and we shocked him right before Doc and Carlos got there. It didn't work the first time and I thought, 'we're too late. This kid's gone.' But, then we shocked him again and we got a rhythm. We could hear his heart beating and we saw his chest going up and down when he took a breath." he said, this time with a slight smile at remembering the feeling of bringing the boy back.  
  
"That's great. Is that the first time you got to use the AED?" Kim asked him.  
  
He nodded yes and then he frowned again. "But, what if the kid fried his brain? What if we brought him back so he just lays there in a bed all day and night for the rest of his life just because of some 'stupid kid curiosity'?" he said, putting his hands on the small, growing mound of Kim's stomach where his son or daughter remained safe and warm and out of harm's way.  
  
"We talked to Joey enough, right Kimmy?" he said again.  
  
"Yeah, Bos. We did and we do. He's a good kid. He knows better. I'm sure of it. And we'll do the same with this one," she said, covering his hands with her own. "I promise."  
  
They stayed there together in the dark for a few more minutes and then finally Bosco sat up. "C'mon, let's put the bambino to bed," he said, extending his hand to help his wife up off the couch.  
  
"Let's go show him or her how much we love each other," she said and they walked down the hallway to their bedroom, stopping to look in on Joey. 


	49. Men Are Morons

"I'm coming," Kim called to whoever was at the door. "Keep your pants on." She muttered under her breath. She pulled open the door and smiled. "Hi Faith. What are you doing here?"  
  
"My husband is a moron," she announced.  
  
"Come in. What did Fred do?"  
  
"It's our first joint weekend off in I don't know how long, the kids are at their grandparents', and he decides he has to go and win some damn truck," Faith ranted as she entered the apartment. "Joey's not here, is he?"  
  
"He's at Jimmy's."  
  
"And Bos?"  
  
"With your husband, trying to win some damn truck."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. So I can commiserate with you," Kim said as she sat down on the couch.  
  
Faith sat down next to her. "You and Bos work the same hours."  
  
"Hey, as of three weeks ago, I don't work at all till after the baby's born."  
  
"But still, your internal clocks are the same. And you get to see each other during work if there's something that involves cops."  
  
"True. But Fred gets to be home with Emily and Charlie. Bos and I don't have that option."  
  
"I don't know what I'd do without him, that's true."  
  
"Hey, wait a sec. I thought we were supposed to be saying how much men suck."  
  
"They do. They totally do. But they're ours and we love them."  
  
"This is true. I just wish he were here with me instead of trying to win a truck. He has the Mustang. What the hell does he need a truck for?"  
  
"This is what I'm saying." Faith nodded. "Men."  
  
"Can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em." Kim said.  
  
Then they both giggled.  
  
~(~(~(~(~  
  
Kim heard the creak of the bedroom door and opened her eyes. "So did you win?"  
  
"No. Fred did."  
  
"Good. You can tell Faith in the morning."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's in Joey's room sleeping off the bottle of wine she had with dinner," Kim said sleepily.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Apparently she likes to tie one on when she's pissed."  
  
"I'll have to remember that."  
  
"Hmm. You do that."  
  
Bosco climbed into bed next to her. "How are you?"  
  
"We're fine. How'd you lose?"  
  
"Some guy staged a phony robbery to get me away from the truck," Bosco wrapped his arms around her loosely.  
  
Kim laughed softly. "Poor baby. Joey says goodnight. He called before he went to sleep."  
  
"Bet Jimmy loved that."  
  
"I'm sure," Kim yawned.  
  
"Go to sleep." Bosco whispered.  
  
"'Kay." Kim mumbled. "Night."  
  
"Night." 


	50. Odd Behavior

"So, what are you doin' tomorrow?" Bosco asked Faith as they were walking out after their shift.  
  
"Tomorrow?" Faith asked, confused.  
  
"Yeah. You took the day, remember? You're off tomorrow? And then we have our two days off?" Bosco reminded her.  
  
"Oh. That. Yeah, I remember," she chuckled. "Uh, nothing much going on. Kids have some doctor appointments and stuff like that," Faith said. Bosco looked over at his partner. She'd been pretty quiet today. Something was definitely bothering her. She looked over and caught him looking at her.  
  
He nodded and said, "Kids are okay, right?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just checkups. You know, boring parent stuff. Just you wait," she kidded. "How much longer now?" she asked about Kim's due date.  
  
"Couple of months," he said, eagerly awaiting the parental tasks that lay ahead.  
  
"Kim's still feeling good?"  
  
"Yeah. She's great. She had a checkup yesterday," he said, quickly reaching into his shirt pocket. "I almost forgot," he said, handing her a picture. "She had an ultrasound. That's my kid," he said proudly.  
  
Faith took the picture and held it out under the streetlight. She smiled as she handed the picture back to him. "That's so great, Bos. I'm so happy for you guys. Did you find out what it is yet?"  
  
"Nope. I want to be surprised. Joey thinks it's a boy and Kim thinks it's a girl. I don't care either way. As long as it's healthy, you know?" he replied.  
  
"Yeah. I know," she said. "Well, have a good night. And I'll see you in a few days. You gonna be okay tomorrow without me?" Faith asked him. She knew he didn't like getting stuck with some rookie partner while she was out, but it was unavoidable.  
  
He shook his head and said, "Yeah. I'll be fine. I thought we were goin' over to Haggerty's for a bit. You know, meet up Davis and Sully? Have a few beers?"  
  
"Oh yeah. You know, I'm really beat. I'm gonna take a rain check, okay?" she said, flustered. "You have a good time though. Drive carefully."  
  
"You sure?" he said and she shook her head. "Yeah, I'm just really tired all of a sudden. I'll see you in a few. Say hi to Kim and Joey for me," she said, turning to go.  
  
He watched after her and saw her shoulders slump slightly as she started to walk away. "Hey Faith?" he yelled after her and she turned around. "You want a ride? I don't really feel like going out either," he offered, knowing that something was wrong.  
  
"Nah. I feel like walking. You go ahead. Sorry," she said to him.  
  
"No problem. You sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Go. Sully and Davis are waiting for you. I'm fine," she said, not wanting to tell him about her cancer biopsy in the morning.  
  
"Alright. Call me if you need anything," he said as she turned to walk away.  
  
"He knows something's wrong," she thought to herself, wondering for the 100th time whether she should tell him or not. "No. He wouldn't handle it well," she answered herself. "Hell, I'M not handling it well. Apparently the only one handling it well is Fred. He's so far in denial, I'll be dead four years before he accepts it," she thought to herself as tears sprang to her eyes.  
  
Bosco watched her walk away and turn the corner. He got in his car and drove over to Haggerty's, fighting the urge to drive to Faith's house to check on her. "She's fine," he told himself. "She'd tell me. We did have a busy night, maybe she IS just tired," he convinced himself. He walked into the bar and found Sully and Davis.  
  
"Hey, Boscorelli!" Davis said happily. Apparently he was a couple of beers ahead of Bosco.  
  
Sully just rolled his eyes and said, "YOU'RE driving him home, Bosco."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'll do your dirty work," Bosco kidded with Sully.  
  
"Where's Faith?" asked Sully. "I thought she was coming with you?"  
  
"She changed her mind. Said she was tired. She wanted to take the train home," he answered as the bartender handed him a beer. He took a long swallow and thought of his partner one more time. "I'll have Kim give her a call tomorrow. Maybe it's something with Fred," he told himself. 


	51. Joy & Sorrow

It had been an uneventful summer. True to his word Bosco had taken time off and taken both Kim and Joey to the shore and 'taught' Joey how to surf. The two of them had spent more time in the water laughing after wiping out then actually riding the waves but they'd had a good time and that's all that mattered to any of them.  
  
It was September now and Joey was back in school. He loved his new teacher so far and he got along with his classmates.  
  
Bosco was working overtime cause he wanted to take off when the baby was born but, as Kim checked her watch, he should be home soon. Joey was at her mother's for the night because Kim had a doctor's appointment in the morning.  
  
She bent back a little to relieve some of the pain in her back. It was killing her today.  
  
"Kim? I'm home."  
  
"Hey babe." She called. "How was work?"  
  
"Pretty quiet actually."  
  
"How's Faith? Her mood any better?"  
  
"No. Not really. Do you think I did something to tick her off without realizing it and now she's just waiting for me to realize it and apologize?"  
  
"No. I think if you ticked her off, she'd tell you," Kim said, sitting down. "Game's all taped. You wanna watch it now or tomorrow?"  
  
"I think I'll watch it now. But you look tired, go to sleep. I'll try not to wake you."  
  
"I'm okay. I'll sit out here with you for a while," Kim smiled at him.  
  
"Okay. You want some milk?"  
  
"No. I've peed enough for the day," she laid her hands on her stomach. "Junior here is determined to take out a kidney or something."  
  
Bosco grinned and got himself a beer. He sat down on the couch and turned his game on.  
  
About ten minutes into it, Kim spoke.  
  
"Uh, Bos?"  
  
"Yeah?" He glanced over at her. "You okay?"  
  
"You know that appointment I have in the morning?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I think we should change it."  
  
"To when?"  
  
"Oh, now would be a good time. Cause I'm fairly certain my water just broke."  
  
"What?" Bosco leapt off the couch. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That means that you're gonna have the baby."  
  
"Yeah and unless you want me to have it on the living room floor with you as the one delivering it, I'd get me a cab cause I'm not letting you drive right now."  
  
"Good idea. I'll get a cab." Bosco said going over to the phone. He dialed the number of the cab company that was next to the phone. "Hello? My wife's going to have a cab so I need a baby to pick us up."  
  
"Bosco!" Kim laughed before she groaned.  
  
Bosco shook his head. "I mean my wife's going to have a baby so I need a cab to pick us up." He rattled off the address and told the person to hurry. "Okay, you need your bag."  
  
"It's on the floor of the closet where it's been since we got home from vacation."  
  
"Right." He went into the bedroom.  
  
"Bosco? I meant the front closet."  
  
"I knew that," he came back out. "Here we go." Then he helped Kim out of her chair and down to the street.  
  
#(#(#(#(#  
  
"How do you feel?" Bosco asked hours later.  
  
"Like I just got hit by a truck," Kim said sleepily. "He's perfect, right?"  
  
"Yeah, he's perfect Kimmy." Bosco smiled and brushed the hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Did you call our moms?"  
  
"Yeah. They'll be here soon. They're mad that we didn't call them when your labor started but they're excited too."  
  
BEEP! BEEP!  
  
"Is that yours?"  
  
"Yeah. I never took it off last night." He checked it. "It's mom's number at the bar. I'll go call her from the payphone in the hall. Don't go anywhere."  
  
"Very funny," she shot him a dirty look.  
  
Bosco went into the hall and picked up the phone. "Mom? Hey it's me. What? Slow down, I can't understand you." He said looking down the hall at a gathering of nurses in the lounge. A few more raced past him down the hall. "Mom, I'll call you back." He hung up and walked down the hall. He joined the nurses in staring at the television screen. "Oh my God." 


	52. Life Goes On

"You're going back down to the pile tonight, Bos?" Faith asked Bosco.  
  
"Yeah," he said, the exhaustion showing on his face and in his words.  
  
"Bos. You need to give somewhere. You've got a new baby that needs you. I'm really worried about you. So is Kim," Faith said to him as she watched him lace up his black work boots that were covered with white dust. Her gaze moved to the floor, which seemed to be full of white dusty footprints every day now. There was no keeping up with it.  
  
"You talked to Kim?" Bosco asked her, putting his foot down and looking up at his partner, slightly agitated.  
  
"Yeah, Bos. She's worried about you. She's barely seen you the last couple of weeks. You took off from the hospital the day the baby was born. We've been working twelve-hour shifts. She's scared," Faith said to him, walking over and sitting down next to him.  
  
He rubbed his eyes, but that only made them water more, "She said she was okay. I talk to her on the phone every day and she says she's okay, Faith. Her and the kids are asleep when I come in. Her Mom and my Mom are there to help her and it's not like I don't come home," he said, trying to wrap his mind around what Faith was saying.  
  
"I know, Bos. But, it's not like you're there when you're there. You know what I mean. I'm the same way when I'm home, but our families need us. We can't save anyone else down there now. The only thing we can do is dig," she said.  
  
"And bring our guys and the firefighters and the victims home to their families," Bosco reminded her.  
  
"I know, Bos, but we have to go home to our families too. The ones WE left behind. The ones that were scared to death WE weren't coming home. Bos, Kim needs you. Joey and John Robert need you. Don't you think Kim feels terrible about not being able to go down there too? She has guilt about not being there too," Faith said. Finally, Faith stood up and said, "Look, you're gonna do what you're gonna do. I'm just asking you to think about Kim and Joey and John Robert. Your family needs you to be whole again, Bos," she finished, picking up her bag and walking out.  
  
Just before she let the door close behind her, she heard Bosco say, "Are any of us really ever going to be whole again?" She left without saying anything, not knowing the answer to that herself.  
  
Ty Davis had been on the other side of the lockers changing into his street clothes. He waited until Bosco left before he walked out, not wanting Bosco to know anyone knew he wasn't as tough as he made himself out to be.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^  
  
Kim looked at the clock as she sat in the living room feeding John Robert Boscorelli. He was the spitting image of his father with the attitude to match. If she didn't get the bottle in his mouth when he wanted it, he let the world know how unhappy he was. She'd been breastfeeding until about a week ago. She'd had to wean him off because she was scheduled to return to work tomorrow.  
  
She worried about leaving him so soon, but they were short on personnel since 9/11. The Captain had called to see how she was doing and to see if she thought she might be able to come back. He said she didn't have to, would understand if she couldn't. She talked to Catherine and to Rose. They told her it was up to how she felt. Did she feel strong enough to go back? It had only been a couple of weeks. She thought about it and decided that this was something she needed to do. She knew her son was in good hands and she wouldn't be working full shifts right away - the Captain had promised her that when she called him back. He also told her that once the ranks were full again, she could finish her maternity leave - he'd work it out. And so, she was going back to work tomorrow. Bosco still didn't know she was returning to work.  
  
She was watching her son sleepily drink his bottle. His smooth hand had a grip on her finger while she held the bottle. He'd found the smoothness of her fingernail and it had become a habit for him to rub his finger over her nail while he took his bottle. She'd have to remember to write that down for Catherine and Rose. They'd be taking care of the boys while she was working. God knew she had no idea when she'd see Bosco. The only way she knew that he still lived here was when she woke up in the morning with the baby and saw him sleeping next to her. He slept so soundly from the mental and physical exhaustion that sometimes she had to check to see if he was still breathing. She worried about him as she watched John Robert and recognized the sound of the key turning in the lock.  
  
She looked up at the clock on the wall. 4:30 a.m. She watched her weary husband walk in and close the door quietly behind him. She watched him take off his jacket and hang it on the hook. Without even looking because he knew everyone was asleep, he brought his bag full of dust-filled clothes into the laundry room off the kitchen and started the washer. He didn't want Kim, any of the kids, or Rose and Catherine touching the debris. He didn't know what was in it. Hell, he didn't want to know.  
  
Kim lay the baby in the bassinet she kept in the living room and walked into the laundry room behind him. She saw him leaning against the washer, his back to her. She put a hand on his back and he jumped. He turned to her and she saw the terrible look in his eyes.  
  
"How many tonight?" she asked him quietly.  
  
"Three," he whispered. "Two firefighters and one cop," he said, his voice cracking. She moved in and wrapped her arms around him, the tears falling from her eyes. She just couldn't stand to see the pain in his eyes.  
  
"Please, Maurice. Stay here with us tomorrow. Please don't go back there tomorrow," she pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Baby. I will. I'll stay home tomorrow. I need a break," he said, starting to lose control of his emotions. She held him tighter and he regained his control. Then, taking him by the hand, Kim guided him into the living room. She sat him on the couch and he laid his head back on the couch, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.  
  
The smell hit him first. That baby powder, baby lotion smell of babies that weakened anyone. She lay the infant on his chest and he embraced his child for the first time. Kim watched as father and son bonded with John Robert squirming around and finally fitting his head under his father's chin, cuddling close. Kim watched as two and a half weeks of fatigue, exhaustion, fear and pain was let go. She put a blanket over them and sat in the chair across from them for the next three hours and just watched them sleep.  
  
John Robert began to stir again for his next round of changing and feeding and Kim gently took the baby from his father as he continued to sleep. She tucked the blanket around Bosco again and went to change the baby, finally letting out the breath she'd felt like she was holding for the past two and a half weeks. 


	53. Always

Kim played with the straw in her soda as she sat in Haggerty's after shift with the rest of the guys from Camelot.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts," Davis said sitting down across from her.  
  
"Honestly? I thought Doc was gonna kill that guy today," Kim admitted.  
  
"Yeah, me too. But it had a happy ending though right?"  
  
"Right," Kim smiled.  
  
"So, how are you two doing?" Davis nodded to where Bosco was talking to Sully.  
  
"We're okay. We're better now."  
  
"I gotta come by one of these days and see that little boy of yours," Davis said smiling. "I hear he's a looker."  
  
"Faith tell you that?" Kim said putting her hand in her purse and pulling out her wallet.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Here," she handed over some pictures. "My mom took those yesterday while Bos and I were working. You tell me what you think."  
  
"I think he looks like Bosco"  
  
"Yeah that's the general consensus. Hey," she looked over her shoulder and then back at Ty. "Have you guys gotten Sully anything as a wedding gift yet?"  
  
"Nah. We were thinking about taking up a collection and just handing over the money if we can't agree on something."  
  
"Not a bad idea. Doc wanted me to ask."  
  
Ty nodded. "So how's Joey doing now that he's got some competition for the attention in the house?"  
  
"It's a lot better now that Bosco's home more. We trade off spending time with them. And Jimmy's always around if Joey just wants to see his dad," Kim smiled.  
  
Ty nodded. "How's Taylor?"  
  
"I think she's okay as any of us are gonna get right now."  
  
"Still no word on her dad?"  
  
"No. On the up side I think she's sleeping more since she switched to paramedic duty. Although I think she and Carlos are going to end up killing each other soon."  
  
"Yeah I noticed they don't seem to get along."  
  
"He's a pinhead but you know, he's our pinhead."  
  
"Right," Ty laughed.  
  
"Hey. Faith okay? She seems a little weird lately."  
  
"As far as I know. You'd know better then I would."  
  
Kim nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"So who's with your boys now?"  
  
"Uh, it's Rose's night," Kim checked her watch. "And I think her head's probably ready to explode so we better go," she got up. She put some money down. "That's for me and Bos."  
  
Ty took it and got up. He gave it back to her. "It's on me. Consider it a celebratory drink in honor of that baby boy of yours."  
  
"Thanks Ty."  
  
"Night."  
  
Kim walked over to where Bosco and Sully were talking. "Hey guys."  
  
"Hey Kim. Welcome back to the cesspool."  
  
"Thanks Sul. And congratulations. I heard you and Tatiana got married."  
  
"Yeah," he grinned and nodded. "Congratulations to you too. Bosco showed me a picture of John Robert."  
  
"Yeah but I'm thinking we need to shorten it a little. Maybe call him Johnny."  
  
"Joey and Johnny. How cute," Bosco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Anyway, you ready to go? I figure your mom's head's about to explode."  
  
"Yeah, I'm good."  
  
"Ty's paying for our drinks," she told him. "Said to consider it our celebratory drink in honor of our baby boy."  
  
"Hey Davis!" Bosco yelled across the bar. "Thanks man."  
  
"No problem. Night."  
  
"Night," Bosco and Kim waved as they left the bar.  
  
Bosco put his arm around Kim's shoulder as they walked home. They'd left the car and taken the train since the roads were still such a mess.  
  
"Helluva day today huh?" Kim said quietly.  
  
"It could've ended worse," Bosco said.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Just wondering what was so awful about that girl's life that she saw suicide as the only way out of it."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"It could've been me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Last year after Bobby, if I didn't have you, I might have very well decided to take a walk off a rooftop."  
  
Bosco stopped and faced Kim. "Don't even think it," he framed her face with his hands. "You will always have me."  
  
"I'm going to hold you to that," Kim smiled.  
  
"Good." 


	54. Hard

"Hello," mumbled Fred into the phone as Faith groaned and put the pillow over her head.  
  
"Fred? This is Kim. Is Faith there?"  
  
"What? Kim, it's like two o'clock in the morning!" Fred grumbled. Faith pulled the pillow off her head and turned toward Fred.  
  
"Bosco's Kim?" she asked him. He nodded and she reached for the phone. "Kim? Is everything alright?" Faith asked her.  
  
"You tell me. Bosco hasn't come home yet. Two detectives from Internal Affairs just knocked on my door looking for him. Before they showed up, I was worried and called the station and they said that you guys had checked out at the end of your shift. What's going on, Faith?" Kim asked, somewhat perturbed.  
  
Faith sat up. "Did you try his cell phone?" she suggested.  
  
"Yeah. I've been calling it and all I get is his voice mail. I left like five messages," she said, starting to worry now. "Tell me what's going on, Faith."  
  
"I don't know. We had a call that we kind of screwed up on tonight," Faith said, thinking that maybe it was about that. She thought back to what he said. "What was it? Oh yeah - 'I can't be that guy. I can't be that guy that let that girl get raped,'" she remembered.  
  
"What do you mean screwed up on? Did he get hurt?" she asked.  
  
"No, no. Neither one of us got hurt. It's just that," she paused as Fred groaned and turned over. She made a face at him and went back to her conversation.  
  
"Well, we missed something on a call and a girl got raped tonight," Faith said.  
  
"What?!" Kim said in shock.  
  
"We thought she was a prostitute, but it turns out..., It's a long story, Kim," she said finally. "Anyway, Bosco was pretty upset. Maybe he's at Haggerty's with some of the guys and doesn't know his phone is off," Faith said.  
  
"Maybe. I'll try there. Will you call me if you hear from him?" Kim asked her.  
  
"Sure, Kim. And let me know when you hear from him, okay?" Faith said.  
  
"Okay. Thanks, Faith. Sorry to wake you," she apologized.  
  
"No problem. He's just probably out blowing off steam somewhere," Faith assured her.  
  
"You're probably right. G'night, Faith."  
  
"G'night, Kim," Faith said, hanging up the phone. She had just laid back down when there was a knock on the door. "Maybe that's Bosco," she said getting out of bed.  
  
"Not if he knows what's good for him," Fred commented.  
  
"Fred! Don't be a jerk," she said as she threw her robe on and went to answer the door. She looked through the peephole and saw the two men in suits; the one with his identification showing she recognized. "What the heck is Internal Affairs doing here?" she said as she unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. Fred came up behind her.  
  
"Faith? Where's Boscorelli?" said the one she knew.  
  
"How the hell should I know?" Faith replied, not liking the tone of the man's voice. "He doesn't live here. Why? What's going on?"  
  
"We tried his apartment, he's not there," the detective said.  
  
"Yeah, I know. His wife just called me scared to death. Now, what's going on?" Faith said, getting more than a little angry now.  
  
"Where else would he be?" he asked, ignoring her question.  
  
"I'm not saying anything until you tell me what's going on, Dave," she said, raising her voice.  
  
"That rape case you had tonight. The suspect was found shot to death in his car. And now we can't find Boscorelli. Now, any idea where he could be?" the man replied.  
  
"What?! No. I have no idea where he could be. But, if I hear from him, I'll tell him to give you a call," Faith said, getting worried.  
  
"You need to come down to the station and account for your whereabouts tonight, Faith," the other detective said.  
  
"First, it's Officer Yokas to you. And, second I can tell you my whereabouts from right here. I got off work at 11:30 and came right home, just like every other night," she said.  
  
"Look, Officer Yokas," the detective replied. "Are you gonna make us call in a supervisor to order you to come to the station?"  
  
"You can't do that!" Fred said angrily. "Can they do that, Faith?"  
  
After a moment, Faith replied. "Yeah, Fred. They can. I'll meet you down there after I get dressed," she finally replied, starting to close the door.  
  
The detective she knew as Dave said, "Why don't you just come down with us, Faith?"  
  
"Because I don't plan on having to stay there and I don't want to have to wait around for you to have time to bring me back home," she said, raising her voice. "I'll be there in 20 minutes," she said before closing the door.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Angela Rose Boscorelli looked over at her son while he was looking the other way. "Something bad happened," she thought to herself. She could tell by the look on his face. She watched as he walked over to the bar and poured another drink from the bottle that he'd taken from behind the bar. He'd almost finished the bottle and was definitely in no condition to walk - let alone drive - anywhere.  
  
"What happened, Maurice?" she asked him, taking the rest of the bottle and pouring it down the sink.  
  
"You ever wonder whether bad traits are hereditary?" Bosco said with a slur.  
  
"You're drunk," Rose said, trying not to laugh. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Just what I said. Do you think that bad traits are hereditary? Do you think I'm destined to screw up? Like Mikey? Like Dad?" he repeated, this time stumbling slightly as he walked closer to his mother.  
  
"Does Kim know where you are?" Rose asked her son. "It's three o'clock. Don't you think she'll be worried?"  
  
"She's better off without me. I'm a screw up," he said, slumping with his head on the bar.  
  
"C'mon upstairs and sleep it off. You can use your old room. I'll call Kim and let her know where you are," Rose said, guiding Bosco up the back stairs to her apartment.  
  
She got him onto the bed and he mumbled something about not being able to trust himself anymore and fell soundly asleep.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Yes, he's okay. He mumbled something about not being able to trust himself and then passed out. He's got a pretty good drunk on," Rose said into the phone to Kim. "You okay? Do you need anything?"  
  
"No. As long as I know he's safe, I'm okay," Kim said, relieved that Bosco wasn't laying in an alley somewhere.  
  
"So, do you have any idea what this is about?" Rose asked her.  
  
"Not much. Faith said they had a call tonight and from what I could gather, they thought she was a prostitute. Turns out that she was some girl getting raped," Kim explained, leaving out the part about Internal Affairs looking for Bosco. She didn't need to worry Rose unnecessarily. She'd tell Bosco in the morning when she talked to him.  
  
"Oh, God," Rose said. "No wonder he's so upset. It really upsets him when women are attacked or abused. I think it comes from his Dad beating me up regularly. Anyway, it really upsets him and if he thinks that because of his mistake this girl got raped-. Well, that just explains his comment about not being able to trust himself. He's talking about his instincts, Kim. He has incredible instincts. He always has and if he can't trust them anymore-," she said not finishing the sentence.  
  
"Do you think I should come over there?" Kim said, her heart aching for him.  
  
"No. Nothing you could do except watch him sleep it off. I haven't seen him this drunk in a really long time. He's not gonna wake up for quite awhile," Rose said, looking across to the room he was in and seeing him sprawled on the bed.  
  
"Do you think he needs to go to the hospital, Rose?" Kim asked.  
  
"No. He's not that bad. I'll keep an eye on him, Kim. You just get some rest. I'll call you in the morning or if I need you. And give Joey and that little Johnny a big kiss from me," she said.  
  
"Okay. But, Rose, please call me if you need me. My Mom can be here in like ten minutes," Kim said.  
  
"Okay, Kim. G'night." Rose said, hanging up the phone.  
  
Rose walked over to the doorway and watched her son sleep. He had flopped on his stomach, fully dressed. She walked over and took off his shoes and put a blanket over him. She knelt on the floor next to the bed and ran her fingers through his hair.  
  
"Always so hard on yourself, Maurice," she said softly as she kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Mmmph," was the only sound he made. Rose got up and turned off the light on her way out. 


	55. Waiting

"Carlos! Hey, wait a sec." Kim caught the other medic as he walked out of the 55th Precinct.  
  
Carlos turned. "Hey Kim. Isn't today your day off?"  
  
"Yeah. Could you do me a huge favor and send Jimmy down? I wanna talk to him but I don't want an audience."  
  
"Yeah. Sure."  
  
"Thanks," Kim leaned against the side of the firehouse as she waited for Jimmy to come down.  
  
"Kim?"  
  
She looked up. "Hey Jimmy. Can you take Joey tonight?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause, I don't want to stick my mom with both him and Johnny and you're always saying how you don't get to see him enough so I thought I'd offer you a chance to spend some time with him but if you don't want to then he can stay at my mom's," Kim said.  
  
"No. It's fine. I'll take him I was just wondering why the sudden offer?"  
  
"Look, are you gonna examine my every move?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. Pick Joey up when you get off. He'll be at my mother's." Kim turned around and started to walk away.  
  
"Kim!"  
  
She turned around. "What?"  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing. I'll see you later."  
  
"You can't lie to me. You never could," he closed the gap between them. "I know you better then you like to admit."  
  
"Back off Jimmy," Kim said sternly. "It's none of your business."  
  
"It is when you ask me to take Joey."  
  
"If it is such a problem for you to have your son with you for the night then by all means, forget I asked. He'll be fine at my mother's," Kim turned and stalked away.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Bosco looked disgustedly at his brother as he stood over the sink. Drugs had always bothered him but more so since last year when they'd lost Bobby. There are just some things that stay with a person and knowing that someone held a gun to your wife's head so he could get to a needle was one of them.  
  
"So, what's up Maurice?" Mikey asked, straightening up.  
  
"Just felt like saying hi," Bosco said as they went and took seats at the bar.  
  
"Ma told me you got married."  
  
"About a year ago." Bosco said.  
  
"Right. And you had a baby?"  
  
"A couple months ago, yeah. His name is John Robert."  
  
"Nice. What's your wife like?"  
  
"Kim's the best," Bosco said quietly. "I was wondering if you'd heard from Dad."  
  
"Aw man. Why do you wanna go bother him?"  
  
"I just wanna talk to him. I take it you do know where he is?"  
  
"He's driving a cab."  
  
"How do I get in touch with him?"  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Kim sat on the steps of the police station bent over, her forehead resting against her knees and her hands resting on the back of her neck.  
  
"You keep sitting like that and someone's gonna arrest you."  
  
Kim picked her head up. Ty Davis was standing the steps next to her with two cups of coffee. He handed her one and sat down. He was in street clothes now.  
  
"So, how much trouble do you think I'll be in when Christopher finishes talking with Lieu?"  
  
"Sully told me that your Lt. hates our sergeant," Ty told her. "I doubt he'll do anything harsh. Besides it's not like you're a cop."  
  
"No, I'm just married to one. One Jason hates more then life itself. One whose life he can make miserable."  
  
"Not over this though."  
  
"It's over right? They have the person who did this?"  
  
"Yeah Kim they got her."  
  
"Not that I blame her. I'd do the same thing if someone hurt my child like that."  
  
"Yeah. Me too."  
  
"Go home Ty. I'll be okay. I'm waiting for Faith. She and I are gonna walk to the trains and go home together."  
  
"You sure? I'll wait."  
  
"Get outta here. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Night," Ty said, pushing himself up and walking away.  
  
"Night," Kim echoed.  
  
She looked up at the sky and debated calling the machine to check messages again but decided she could wait till she got home. Besides she'd only checked ten minutes ago. She could wait another fifteen or so.  
  
"Kim? What are you doing here?"  
  
Kim looked at the source of the voice and got up. First she hugged him. Then she hit him in the arm with a "Don't you ever scare me like that again," and then she hugged him again. 


	56. Marks

Faith came out of the station just as Bosco showed up to receive the punch from Kim. He looked up at her, rubbing his arm and, all she said was, "You deserved it! You're lucky my gun's locked in my locker or I'd shoot your ass!"  
  
"For what? What'd I do?" Bosco asked. "Are the kids okay?"  
  
"What did you do?!? You're kidding me, right? And, yes the kids are fine," Kim responded, slapping his arm again.  
  
"Ow! Stop that and tell me!"  
  
"Where the hell have you been all last night and today?" Kim and Faith said in unison.  
  
"I told you! I was out trying to clear my head. I just looked at my phone and saw that it was turned off. When I turned it on, there was like 800 messages from you and the Boss," he said to Kim. "I called the house, but all I got was the machine. I figured you were stuck at work on a call, so I came down to meet you, and I was gonna stop in to see what the Boss wanted," he explained.  
  
"You did NOT tell me you were out 'clearing your head.'" Kim argued back with him.  
  
"I did. There was no answer. I figured you were busy with Johnny and left a message on the machine for you.  
  
"No, you didn't," Kim stated simply.  
  
"Yes, I did," he replied back as Faith stood there watching the exchange.  
  
"Well, then you called the wrong number because there was no message on our machine from you. There's plenty of messages FOR you," Kim said.  
  
Bosco was going through his outgoing calls to find the number he dialed last night when he got out of work. He turned the phone so Kim could see the screen of the phone. "See? 11:37 p.m."  
  
Kim looked at the number displayed and said, "Well, that's really nice that you let whoever lives at 555-3667 know that you wouldn't be home last night. It's too bad that our number is 555-3677."  
  
"What? Shit!" he said. "I'm sorry, Kim."  
  
Kim decided to give up the fight because she was just glad that he was okay. "Are you okay? Faith told me what happened. I hope you don't blame yourself, Bos. I know how good of a cop you are and you both got fooled. It's terrible and it's regrettable, but you're only human. She should have spoken up."  
  
"So, what did the Boss want?" Bosco said to Faith as he hugged Kim.  
  
"You better go talk to him so he doesn't write you up. He asked me what was wrong with you when he got the note saying you were taking a sick day today," Faith said.  
  
"What was he looking for me for? There's also a couple of calls from Internal Affairs on my voice mail," he asked.  
  
"That guy that raped the girl - the Super - was found shot to death in his car last night. Apparently, he told the Detectives about the threat you made to him outside his door last night and when they couldn't find you, they thought you were involved. Turns out that the girl's mother shot him. She's being booked right now," Faith explained.  
  
"Oh, man. They thought I did it?" he said, surprised.  
  
"Well, you know Internal Affairs isn't very objective," Faith said sarcastically. They heard the door to the station open and watched the young rape victim walk down the stairs followed by a uniformed officer.  
  
Faith turned to the girl, "You're going home?" The girl nodded, looking at Bosco with anger. "Okay, you need to call a lawyer for your Mom and try not to worry. Everything will work out. There was a lot of stress and emotions involved. The court will take that into account," Faith said, nodding to the officer to go ahead and take her home.  
  
Bosco stepped forward so that he was face-to-face with the girl. "I'm sorry. I should have handled it differently. I made a mistake and I'm sorry for what happened. I wanted you to know that," he said quietly.  
  
The girl looked at him for a moment and then suddenly slapped him across the face. Kim gasped, but didn't move as Bosco put his hand out to stop her. He felt he deserved it. He watched the girl get in the car and drive off.  
  
"That's gonna leave a mark," Faith said, turning to head home. Bosco turned to walk into the station to talk to the Lieutenant and said only loud enough that Kim heard, "Doesn't everything?" 


	57. Blindsided

Kim was pulling her hair back when Jimmy came up behind her. "Hi." She said when she saw him in the mirror. He didn't say anything. "Jimmy? You okay?"  
  
"Here," he handed her something.  
  
She turned around and took it. She looked over it. "You're kidding me right?" She asked once she'd gotten the meaning of the papers.  
  
"Kim, I just don't think Bosco's a stable influence."  
  
"A stable influence? You're judging stable influences? Have you lost what little mind you have? Joey adores Bosco and vice versa."  
  
"Kim," Jimmy tried to calm her down.  
  
"What? Did you give these to me here so I wouldn't make a scene? Piss off Jimmy. And you can shove these," she threw the papers back at him.  
  
"There are more copies of those," he called after her.  
  
"You can shove those too."  
  
~(~(~(~(~(~  
  
"Station Fifty-Five," Alex said into the phone later that day.  
  
"Hey Alex. It's Bosco. Kim there?"  
  
"Yeah. Hold on," Alex said. "Hey Kim? It's Bos."  
  
"Finally," Kim took the phone. "Thanks Alex."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Bos?"  
  
"Hey, I just checked messages. What's up?"  
  
"I got served this morning."  
  
"With what?"  
  
"Custody papers."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. Jimmy is trying to take Joey away because he thinks you're an unstable influence."  
  
"Why the hell would he think that?"  
  
"I think he heard about what happened," Kim said.  
  
"Dammit," Bosco cursed. A few more words that didn't bear repeating followed before he calmed down enough to ask, "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm pissed off, is what I am. He has no right to do this. The king of unstable influences has no right to give that title to anyone else."  
  
"It'll be okay. I promise you. We will fight this," Bosco said. "Faith and I have a dinner break coming up. Why don't you and Doc meet us at Pete's?"  
  
"One second, I'll ask Doc if he wants to." A few minutes later, "We'll be there in ten minutes."  
  
"See you then," Bosco said. "Hey. I love you."  
  
"I love you too," Kim said and Bosco could hear the smile in her voice.  
  
"Bye," Bosco hung his cell up and looked over at Faith. "You're not gonna believe this one."  
  
Faith rose an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim was sitting on the hood of Bosco's car later that night waiting for him.  
  
"Hey Kim," Faith greeted.  
  
"Hey," she said with a smile. "Sorry about dinner. We must have driven you and Doc nuts."  
  
"Well, I admit you and Bosco came up with more ways to kill Jimmy then I ever thought were possible but I'm on your side. Bosco may be somewhat nuts sometimes but he'd never hurt Joey. I know that."  
  
"So do I."  
  
"Are you gonna tell him?"  
  
"Joey? I haven't thought about it. Crazy as it sounds, I don't want him to be mad at Jimmy," Kim rolled her eyes. "Stupid, huh?"  
  
"Nah. No matter what else happens, you know that Joey loves Jimmy and you don't wanna mess with that. That doesn't make you stupid, it makes you a good parent."  
  
Kim smiled. "Thanks Faith. I needed to hear that from someone other then my own head."  
  
"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Night."  
  
"Night." 


	58. Night Rituals

"So, did you call that guy I told you about yet?" Bosco asked Kim as the two finished cleaning up the dinner dishes. Joey was with Jimmy for the night because he had tickets to the monster truck show and Johnny was in his baby swing, nodding off.  
  
"Not yet. I wanted to try to talk to Jimmy once more before I call a lawyer. I don't want this to get ugly, but if he's determined to make it that way then so be it," Kim said, putting the last dish back in the cabinet. She looked over at the baby and then at the clock. "Hey, Bos. Don't let him go to sleep yet. He needs his bath and I want to give him a bottle before he goes down."  
  
Bosco walked over and unhooked the buckle on the seat, causing Johnny to wake up. He looked up and saw Bosco and a big smile spread across his face as he began to kick his legs with excitement. "That's my boy," Bosco said with a big smile. He lifted him out of the seat and started to get him undressed as Kim went to get his bath ready.  
  
Bosco watched as Kim bathed the baby, taking in all the expressions he was making. He watched Kim and couldn't believe that he could love her more than he did before Johnny was born, but he did. He couldn't bear it if they lost Joey because of him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kim," he said quietly.  
  
"For what?" Kim said, cooing to the baby.  
  
"For all this crap with Jimmy. It's all my fault," he said, playing with her hair.  
  
Kim expertly lifted Johnny from his baby bathtub, wrapping a towel around him at the same time. Bosco could never figure out how she did that and it amazed him every time. Kim smiled, knowing what he was trying to figure out how she wrapped Johnny in the towel. She turned to him and kissed him tenderly. "This is NOT your fault. Jimmy's being an ass, as usual. We'll get through this. How can they take the word of a deadbeat, gambling, overly indebt father over that of a stable, loving, good natured, patient father and step-father?"  
  
"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" Bosco said as the phone rang.  
  
"Yes, but I'll never get tired of hearing it," she said as she went down the hallway to get Johnny diapered and into his PJs. Bosco answered the phone and Kim listened to his side of the conversation from the baby's room.  
  
"Hey, Sport! How are you?" Bosco said into the phone to Joey. Even though it was only one night, he always called to say goodnight to them all before Johnny went to bed. "Yeah. Mom's getting him dressed right now. She'll be right here. So, how was school today? Good. I told you you'd ace that test, didn't I? What was that noise? Oh, okay. Everything's okay?" Bosco asked.  
  
Kim finished dressing Johnny and walked out to the living room with him. "What's up?" she whispered to Bosco. He covered the phone with his hand and said, "Joey said that the guy that comes to 'borrow' money from Jimmy every week is there again." Kim rolled her eyes.  
  
"I told Jimmy I didn't want that guy coming around when Joey was there," she said angrily, handing Johnny to Bosco as she went to get his bottle out of the microwave and test it. Bosco could see the slow simmer in Kim's eyes as they listened to Johnny giggle at the sound of Joey's voice on the other end of the phone.  
  
She finished preparing the bottle and handed it to Bosco to feed him while she took the phone and talked to Joey for a few minutes. She always let Bosco give Johnny his bottle before bed when they weren't working. It was one of Bosco and Johnny's special times together. She watched them together as she talked to Joey.  
  
Bosco heard her say goodnight and she held the phone up to Bosco so that he could say goodnight also before she hung up. She walked over and grabbed the remote off the table and turned on the football game for Bosco, much to his surprise.  
  
"You're letting me watch the game without begging you?" he said, surprised.  
  
"Yeah. Watch it now, because as soon as Junior goes to bed, I'm gonna have my way with you," she said leaning over and giving him a deep kiss that left him slightly breathless.  
  
"Oh really," he said as he recovered from the kiss. He looked down at his son and said, "Close your eyes and go to sleep, you." Kim laughed and went in to get Johnny's crib ready and make sure his nightlight and favorite lullaby were turned on. A few minutes later, Bosco walked quietly down the hallway with Johnny on his shoulder, patting his back to get a burp out of him. Just as he reached Kim, the baby gave up the burp and was sound asleep. Bosco laid him in his crib and put the blanket over him as Kim turned out the lamp. They watched him sleep for a moment before they walked out into the hallway.  
  
As soon as they were out of the room, Bosco grabbed Kim and brought her close. He kissed her neck and slowly made his way to her mouth and lingered there, kissing her ever more deeply while his hands eagerly explored her body. As they kissed, Kim started to pull off Bosco's shirt and unbutton his jeans as Bosco walked Kim backwards into the bedroom. As they went down the hallway, unable to keep their hands and lips off each other, Bosco pulled Kim's shirt over her head and unfastened her bra. As she felt the back of her knees against the bed, Bosco lifted her and gently laid her down. They finished undressing each other and continued their explorations until they were both spent and sleeping snuggled up to each other. 


	59. Mama Said

"Hi Mrs. Zambrano," Billy Walsh said cheerfully to the older woman when he saw her come up the stairs of the firehouse.  
  
"Hi Billy. Is Jimmy here?"  
  
"Up top," Doc said. "How are you Catherine?"  
  
"I'm good Doc. Excuse me," Catherine smiled and headed up to the roof. She found Jimmy looking out over the city. "Hello Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy turned around. "Catherine? What are you doing here? Is it Joey?"  
  
"Joey's fine. At least he is right now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, right now's he fine because no one's told him that his father is trying to take him away from his mother."  
  
"It's none of your business."  
  
"Joey's my grandson. That makes it my business. How dare you."  
  
"I'm trying to protect him."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"Bosco. He's unstable."  
  
"Bosco's unstable? Who the hell do you think kept Kim together last year when Bobby died? Because I know it damn sure wasn't you," Catherine said angrily.  
  
"I don't get why Bosco gets full credit for Kim being okay. She would've pulled through on her own," Jimmy retorted.  
  
"You don't honestly believe she would've been okay do you? She watched her best friend get blown away and then she had a gun held to her head. You don't just walk away from those things unharmed."  
  
"And Kim's fine."  
  
"Because she had someone there with her, who loved her and who loved Joey. Tell me something; would you like it better if Bosco didn't love Joey? If Joey didn't like Bosco, would you feel more secure in your place as his father?"  
  
"My place in Joey's life has nothing to do with this."  
  
"If you expect me to believe that you're far stupider then I ever thought you were," Catherine said. "Do you think Joey will thank you for doing this?"  
  
"He'll understand that I'm just looking out for him," Jimmy said.  
  
"No, Jimmy he won't. He's a little boy and you're trying to take him away from his home and people who love him because you're jealous of the time he spends with his stepfather. He won't thank you, he'll resent you and then later he'll hate you."  
  
"Joey would never hate me."  
  
"Are you willing to bet on that? Cause I wouldn't be so sure. He's happy Jimmy. He's healthy. He has people around him who love him. You really wanna screw with that because you don't approve of who Kim moved on with?"  
  
Jimmy didn't say anything.  
  
"Kim told me you didn't react too well to Joey spending time with Bobby either. If he were still here would you be doing this if it had been him that she married and started a family with?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Are you finished?"  
  
"One more thing: You might very well win custody, who knows? But I am telling you now that if you do win and you go through with keeping Joey away from his mother, his stepfather, and his little brother, you will lose your son," Catherine said. "Now I am done. Goodbye Jimmy." 


	60. Kidnapped?

"Did you ever talk to Faith?" Bosco asked Kim as they drove home from work.  
  
"About what?" Kim asked. She was exhausted after a long night at work. They were stopping at Catherine's to pick up Joey and the Johnny because they were off the next day.  
  
"She was really quiet again today. She was okay after those few days off, but now something's bothering her again," he said.  
  
"Did you ask her about it?" Kim said.  
  
"Yeah. She said it's nothing, but she looks really wiped, you know?" he said.  
  
"Well, I'll give her a call tomorrow and see what I can find out. Maybe I'll ask her to lunch. You'll be around for the kids, right?" Kim said.  
  
"Yeah. Maybe I'll take them to the park if it's nice," he said, looking over at his wife with a smile.  
  
"If I catch you using those kids as a chick magnet again, Boscorelli, you're in deep shit," she teased him.  
  
"Me?!" he said, feigning innocence. "I told you, I was just sitting there. She came on to me!"  
  
"Uh huh. Right," she said.  
  
"Busy night, huh?" he asked her as they pulled up to Catherine's house.  
  
"Yeah. Carlos was being an ass again," she said.  
  
"So, what else is new? Did you talk to the lawyer?" he asked her, referring to Jimmy's plan on taking custody of Joey away from her.  
  
"I tried to talk to Jimmy today, but he was avoiding me," she said, as they walked toward the house. "I guess I'm gonna have to call him tomorrow too," she said, sighing heavily.  
  
Bosco put an arm around his wife. "It'll work out, Kim. How could a judge take Joey away from us when he's so happy? And look what a mess Jimmy's life is."  
  
Kim opened the door and Bosco followed her in. Catherine was on the couch holding the baby. "Mom, have you put him down at all?" Kim said, teasing her mother again.  
  
"He's my grandson. I don't have to put him down if I don't want to. It's my job to spoil him rotten and then give him back to you. Besides, Joey won't let me hold him like this anymore," she said.  
  
"Well, if he did, I'd be a little worried about the boy," Bosco joked.  
  
"He's just finishing up his bottle. You want to finish giving it to him at home or here?" Catherine asked as Kim took the baby from her.  
  
"I'll give it to him at home. That way he'll quiet down again with the warm bottle and hopefully sleep through the night. Is Joey ready to go?" she asked.  
  
Catherine turned around quickly and looked at Kim. "Jimmy came to pick up Joey," she said, looking at both Bosco and Kim.  
  
"What?!" Kim said.  
  
"He said, that you told him to pick him up here to stay overnight with him because he was gonna take him to a ball game in the morning," Catherine said, getting nervous.  
  
"Did you forget?" Bosco asked Kim.  
  
"No, I didn't forget!" Kim said loudly, startling Johnny. "What the hell is he up to now?" she said.  
  
Bosco walked over to the phone and dialed Jimmy's number. There was no answer and when the machine picked up, Bosco left a message in case Jimmy was screening his calls.  
  
"Jimmy. It's Bosco. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but you just scared the hell out of Kim and Catherine. If you're there pick up the phone so Kim knows that Joey is okay and with you. If you're not there, call us at home as soon as you get in. Apparently, you forgot to tell Kim you were taking Joey tonight and she's worried," he said, surprisingly calm into the phone.  
  
"Kim. I went to the station to talk to Jimmy today. Did he tell you that?" Catherine said, nervous that she'd caused the latest problem.  
  
"You did what? What did you tell him, Mom?" Kim asked. 


	61. Promises

Kim sat on top of her bed in her childhood bedroom. Johnny was asleep in a crib a few feet away. She had finished talking to the police a little while ago and now Bosco was getting their game plan in figuring out where Jimmy was and if he had indeed kidnapped Joey.  
  
She wasn't mad at her mother. Catherine had just been trying to help after all. She'd just tried to make Jimmy see the truth. Unfortunately Kim had learned something a long time ago about making Jimmy see the truth.  
  
It didn't work.  
  
And she should know.  
  
Kim sighed as she stretched out her legs and lay down on her back. She stared up at the ceiling until she heard the bedroom door open.  
  
"I'm awake," she said quietly.  
  
"You shouldn't be," was the answer as the door shut.  
  
She smiled and scooted over. Bosco joined her in bed and pulled her into his arms.  
  
"So, what's the scheme Bos?"  
  
"They're watching the firehouse and his place for any signs of him."  
  
"What about his folks?"  
  
"Yeah, I told them the address. They said they'd post a guy there to watch."  
  
"Just so long as it isn't Jason Christopher, I'll be happy."  
  
"I've been meaning to ask you about him. What did you say to him? Davis said you told him off a little."  
  
"Maybe a little."  
  
"Kim."  
  
"It was when I.A. came knocking on our door. When I was down at the station waiting to hear something from you I heard him say something about how he wasn't surprised you'd screwed up and then he said you were probably in the wind and then he said he always knew that this day would come. That's when I got a little pissed off."  
  
"Not upset?"  
  
"No I moved right past upset," Kim smiled.  
  
"So? What did you say?"  
  
"I told him he needed to get over the past and that it wasn't entirely your fault that his fiancée slept with you. It takes two to do what you did. Then he said that I just better cut my losses and move on. That's when I called him a self-serving jerk with a very small penis."  
  
"You didn't."  
  
"Oh but I did and in front of most of the officers on the third watch too."  
  
"Man, would I have liked to have seen that," Bosco chuckled.  
  
"Best part?"  
  
"There's more?"  
  
"Yep. My Lt. doesn't like your Sgt. so I got away with it."  
  
Bosco grinned. "Lucky girl."  
  
"Aren't I though?"  
  
"Did it work?" He asked a moment later.  
  
"For a little while," she smiled at him. "Thanks for trying."  
  
"We'll find him. We'll find him and bring him home," Bosco murmured before he kissed her temple.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jimmy looked at Joey, who was asleep in the passenger seat. They had just crossed the border into Massachusetts and dawn was a few hours away. It was time to stop for the night. 


	62. Found

Bosco and Kim had taken Johnny home. They decided that if Jimmy was gonna call them, he'd assume they were home with their baby. Johnny was asleep in his own crib and Bosco and Kim were on the couch, Kim laying against Bosco, dozing. The television was on without the sound so the only light in the room was the flashing from the picture changing on the screen.  
  
The phone rang and Bosco grabbed it before the first ring finished. "Boscorelli," he said into the phone and listened. Kim sat up and tried to read the look on Bosco's face.  
  
"Okay. Are they gonna send someone to check it out? Yeah, I know. Okay. We'll be right here. Thanks, Lieu," he said, before he hung up.  
  
Kim looked at him, waiting to hear what was going on. "He's in Massachusetts. Boston. They got a hit on his credit card at a motel out there. Boston P.D. is gonna check it out and make sure Joey's with him and that he's okay," he explained.  
  
"Boston? He doesn't know anyone there. Why would he go there?" Kim asked, standing up and pacing the room. "Did they give you the name of the motel? Should we drive out there?"  
  
"Slow down, Babe," Bosco said, getting up and taking hold of both arms. "I didn't get the name of the motel. No, we should stay here. Boston P.D. will call the Lieu and he'll let us know what's going on. You know that they can't really arrest him for kidnapping or anything, right? You both have joint custody," he explained.  
  
"But, he took him without talking to me first?" she said, not understanding.  
  
"I know and he was wrong to do that, but you don't really think that he'd do anything to hurt Joey, do you?" Bosco asked her.  
  
"No. Yes. I don't know. He's really screwed up right now. Between this and what's going on between him and Brooke. I just don't think he's thinking clearly and that makes me wonder if he's thinking clearly when it comes to Joey," she said, the worry winning over the calm she was trying to maintain.  
  
"Baby, the Boston guys are gonna check it out and they'll call. So, we should hear something in just a little while. You don't really want to put Joey's Dad in jail, do you?" he said, guiding Kim back to the couch. "You want some tea or something?"  
  
"Yeah, tea would be good," Kim said, staring at the television screen. "He doesn't have his bear," she said, a tear slowly sliding down her cheek.  
  
"What?" Bosco said.  
  
"His bear. Joey doesn't have his bear with him," she said, getting up and walking down the hallway. Bosco followed her into Joey's room and watched her take an old, ragged bear out from under the pillow. It was almost completely flat because of the stuffing that had come out over the years. She turned toward Bosco and held the bear close to her face, taking in her son's smell.  
  
"He doesn't know I know he still has it," she said, the tears falling quicker now. Bosco walked over to her and took her in his arms. "What am I gonna do if something happens to him, Bos?"  
  
"Nothing's gonna happen. I won't let it," he said as Johnny started to make noise. "I'll get him. You just relax," Bosco said, going to Johnny's room.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Jimmy was sitting on the chair in the motel room watching Joey sleep. He was just staring at him. He knew what he'd done was wrong, but he couldn't help it. He felt himself losing everything. First Kim, then Brooke and now Joey was getting closer and closer to Boscorelli every day. All he had left was his job. As much as he loved it and as good as he was at it, he needed more.  
  
And so, here he was in Boston, Massachusetts, sitting in a motel room, watching his son sleep in his clothes because he didn't have any pajamas to sleep in. He watched as Joey kept reaching under the pillow - almost like he expected to find something there. "What is that all about?" Jimmy though to himself and smiled. "He must be having a dream," he thought as he continued to watch.  
  
There was a soft knock on the door and Jimmy jumped. "Who the hell could that be?" he thought. The only person that knew he was here was the manager of the motel. Maybe he left his headlights on or something. He got up and walked over to the door and opened it quietly so he didn't wake up Joey.  
  
"James Doherty?" asked one of the two Boston Police Officers at his door.  
  
He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah? Is there some problem, Officer?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. We got a call from a Lieutenant Swersky from the NYPD's 55th Precinct. Is your son, Joey, with you, Mr. Doherty?" asked the officer.  
  
"Yes, he is. He's sleeping. What's going on?" Jimmy asked, playing dumb. After all, he had joint custody. It wasn't like he kidnapped his own son. He just took him out of town without telling his mother.  
  
"Well, Mr. Doherty. I'm afraid we're following up on a report from New York that you took your son without his mother's permission. Is that the case, Sir?"  
  
"No. I picked him up from his grandmother's house after work and he's with me. We have joint custody. I took him for the weekend," he explained.  
  
"Well, Sir. I'm afraid we're gonna have to ask you to come down to the station with us so that we can get this straightened out," the officer said as his partner looked on.  
  
"Right now? My son is sleeping. Can't I just give my ex-wife a call and get it straightened out from here, Officer?" Jimmy asked.  
  
The two officers exchanged looks. "Sir, we need to come in and see if your son is okay," said one of the officers. "Why don't you let us in and you can call you're ex-wife while we check on your son."  
  
"Uh, sure. C'mon in," Jimmy said, realizing that there was no way he was going to get out of this. He'd have to call Kim and talk to her. He stepped aside to let the officers in and Joey woke up.  
  
"Dad? What's going on?" he asked sleepily.  
  
"Nothing, Joey. It's okay. Mom's just confused and she forgot I was taking you this weekend. I just have to call her and straighten it out," Jimmy explained as he walked over to the phone.  
  
"Joey? I'm Officer Jones and this is Officer Rodriguez. We just have to check a couple things out, okay?" Joey nodded.  
  
Jimmy listened to the officers talking to Joey as he dialed Kim's number and tried to think of things to say as the phone rang.  
  
Bosco picked up the phone on the first ring. "Boscorelli," Jimmy heard on the other end.  
  
"Let me talk to Kim, Bosco," Jimmy said, slight irritation in his voice.  
  
"Jimmy? What the hell's going on?" Bosco said with anger.  
  
"Let me talk to Kim, Bosco. This has nothing to do with you," Jimmy said again.  
  
Bosco was going to say something, but decided not to let his anger get the best of him and make the situation worse. He handed the phone to Kim. "It's Jimmy," he said as Kim took the phone.  
  
"Jimmy! What the hell are you doing? You bring Joey back here right now. Is he okay? Let me talk to him," she said with fire in her eyes.  
  
"Kimmy. Wait. Just let me take him for the weekend. I need to think about some things and I just wanted to spend some time with my son. What's so wrong about that?"  
  
"What's so wrong about it?! Jimmy, I can't believe you don't see it. You took my son without my permission or my knowledge. How could you do such a thing?!"  
  
"OUR son, Kim. I have custody too. Don't forget that," Jimmy said in his own defense.  
  
"Jimmy, I know that. And when have I ever said that you couldn't be with Joey whenever you wanted? But, Jimmy with everything that's going on between you and Brooke and now you want full custody because you think I'm an unfit parent. Look what you did, Jimmy. Do you see what you're doing? Do you really think any judge is going to give you custody when you pull something like this?" Kim asked him. There was silence on the other end. "Jimmy?" Kim said, wondering if he was still there. "Jimmy?"  
  
"Yeah, Kim. I'm here," he said and she could hear the sadness in his voice.  
  
"Jimmy, you'll always be Joey's father. That'll never change. He loves you Jimmy. No matter what, Joey loves you. Jimmy, I'll always love you too. Even if we aren't together. I love Bosco and we have a great life together. You need to go and talk to Brooke. You need to straighten things out with her and if you can't, well, then you have to learn from it and move on. But, you can be happy, Jimmy. I know you can. And Joey, and me and even Bosco will always be here for you, Jimmy, because we're family. I don't know how else to explain it to you, Jimmy. It's that simple," she finished as Bosco reached over and took hold of her hand.  
  
After a little silence Jimmy finally spoke, "Okay, Kimmy. I'll bring him home. We'll start back in the morning, okay? I promise," he said and she could hear the sadness and tears in his voice.  
  
"Jimmy," she said, her heart breaking for him. "You need to go with the police officers and we'll come out to pick Joey up. That's what has to happen right now, okay. The officers aren't going to just leave you there with him. Not when we have a report out that you've taken him and we can't take it back, Jimmy. Just stay at the police station and we'll leave right now, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Kim. I'll wait for you. The Officer wants to talk to you," he said, handing the phone to the officer. Kim handed the phone over to Bosco, "It's the police officer there. He wants to talk to us."  
  
Kim listened as Bosco got the information from the officer on where to go when they got to Boston and hung up the phone. After he hung up, he called the Lieutenant to let him know what was going on and that he'd need the next day off so that he could drive to Boston to pick up Joey.  
  
"I'll call my Mom to come over and stay with Johnny. Why don't you throw some clothes in a bag for all of us and we'll head out as soon as she gets here," Bosco said. Kim nodded and headed down the hallway to get things ready as Bosco called Rose. 


	63. Talking

Kim woke up when Bosco turned off the car. It had been a mostly quiet ride to Boston and she'd fallen asleep somewhere between their front door and the police station they were currently at, adding to the quiet.  
  
They got out of the car and Bosco took her hand as they walked up to the front doors. They entered the station and went to the desk.  
  
"Excuse me? I'm Kim Boscorelli and my son-"  
  
"Mommy!"  
  
Kim looked to the right for the source of the voice and saw Joey running towards her. "Joey," she ran and met him halfway. Scooping him up, she hugged him tight. "Are you okay?" she asked, searching his face.  
  
"I'm okay," he smiled. He looked over her shoulder. "Hi Bosco!"  
  
"Hey Buddy," Bosco smiled. "You doing okay?"  
  
"Uh-huh. But they won't let me see Dad."  
  
"Honey, why don't you let me talk to your dad first okay? You and Bosco can go eat something and then we'll go home."  
  
"Can I see Dad before we go home?"  
  
"Sure," Kim smiled. She gave Joey to Bosco and once they were gone, she turned to the detective. "May I see Jimmy, please?"  
  
"This way. He's in one of the interrogation rooms," she said leading her down the hall. "He's free to go when you two are done."  
  
"Thanks." Kim entered the room and shut the door behind her. "Hi."  
  
Jimmy turned from the window to look at her. "Hey. Is Joey okay? They haven't let me see him since we were brought here."  
  
"Do you blame them?" Kim raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"No, I guess not."  
  
"He's fine."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Jimmy, we really have to talk about this, you know."  
  
"Yeah. Kim, I was stupid."  
  
"That's one way to put it," Kim agreed. "I have never tried to screw with your relationship with Joey. What makes you so sure that I would do it now?"  
  
"You're married Kim."  
  
"Yeah, so are you."  
  
"No, you're really married. I'm only married because neither Brooke nor myself has admitted that it's over between us. You're married in every sense of the word. You have a little boy and you and Bosco sleep together at night, which let me tell you is a disturbing image to say the least," Jimmy looked a little sick after his statement.  
  
"Have you even talked to Brooke?"  
  
"I tried a couple of times but she doesn't want anything to do with me."  
  
"Can't say I blame her."  
  
"I screwed up two of the best things in my life Kimmy."  
  
"You'll get another shot Jimmy. I did."  
  
"You weren't the only who spent most of our marriage sleeping with every other person in New York that wasn't your spouse." Jimmy said.  
  
"You didn't totally screw up you know. Joey adores you. That won't change no matter how badly you botch up your relationships with women."  
  
"You sure about that? He's pretty crazy about Bosco."  
  
"Yeah he is. But Bos isn't his father. We all know that and he has never tried to take your place. The only one putting your place in Joey's life in jeopardy is you. Think about that for a second." Kim said. "You are trying to separate him from people who love him and people that he loves. He's not going to thank you for that Jimmy. He'll hate it."  
  
"You sound like your mother."  
  
"Do I? I heard she came to see you. I wish you'd told me about that instead of taking off with Joey."  
  
"I don't want to lose him Kim."  
  
"You won't. He thinks the world of you. Just remember that he also loves me and Bosco and Johnny, okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You can leave. We'll see you back in New York," Kim said before she left. 


	64. An Accident

"Okay, Ma. Yeah. We'll be home in about 45 minutes or so. No, Joey's fine," Bosco said into the phone as he checked on Johnny and told Rose when they'd be home. "Okay, Ma. Thanks. What's that? He took a step? All on his own?" he said with amazement.  
  
"Bosco! You'd better be kidding!" Kim said, as she drove the car. Bosco had slept most of the way home since he'd been up for since 10 a.m. the previous day and then worked a whole shift and then drove all the way to Boston. He'd woken up about ten miles back and was apparently feeling better.  
  
"I'm kidding!" he said back to her. "She already hung up," he said, talking about Rose. Bosco looked into the back seat and saw Joey sleeping with his neck at a weird angle.  
  
"What time did he finally zonk out?" Bosco asked Kim, remembering how much he talked while Bosco was trying to fall asleep.  
  
"He must have just fallen asleep, because he was talking to me a few minutes ago," she said, looking into the rearview mirror to see him. "See if you can straighten him out a little or he's gonna get a stiff neck. And throw my jacket over him so he doesn't get a chill."  
  
"'Kay," Bosco said as he unfastened his seatbelt and moved around so that his knees were on the seat and he reached over the seat into the back. He straightened him out and put one of the pillows Kim had thrown in the car under his head. He threw Kim's coat over his arms and torso and his own over his legs. He was just about to turn back around when he glanced out the back window and saw Jimmy behind them still. He'd followed them back and was behind them most of the way.  
  
"We better stop and get some more gas," Kim said to Bosco and he turned to look at the gas gauge.  
  
"Yeah, just to be on the safe side," he said, looking out the window to see where they were and how far it was to the next service station. He sat back down and fastened his seatbelt. "The next rest area should be just up here. That's as good a place as any, I guess," he said. Kim put the directional on and moved over to the right lane in preparation to get off at the rest area. As they merged onto the exit ramp, Jimmy remained in the driving lane and passed them. He gave them a slight wave as he drove by and Kim continued on up to the pump at the rest stop.  
  
Bosco filled the tank and paid for the gas, while Kim went in to use the rest room and get a snack for Joey in case he woke up. A few minutes later, she returned with chips and a juice for Joey and a cup of coffee for each of them.  
  
"What, no munchies for me?" Bosco said, as they got under way. This time Bosco was driving and Kim placed the coffees in the console in between the seats.  
  
"Oh ye of little faith," Kim replied, pulling a box of his favorite cookies out from the bag in her hand.  
  
"Excellent!" he said as she opened the box and held it out for him. "Did you get any milk?" he asked.  
  
"Don't push it," she replied, giving him a smirk.  
  
They'd been driving for just about ten minutes when traffic started to bog down. They were about 20 minutes from the City. "Oh great. We're so close," Bosco groaned.  
  
"I wonder what's going on?" Kim said trying to look around the cars ahead. "Some kind of checkpoint?" she thought out loud.  
  
"Not at rush hour," Bosco said, knowing that they didn't usually try to slow traffic during peak hours to avoid traffic tie-ups.  
  
Kim continued to sit up in the seat in an attempt to see over or around the cars ahead of them. "Looks like some kind of accident. I see an ambulance and a fire truck. Oh, and there's a couple State Trooper cars," she reported.  
  
"Does it look like I should get off the next exit and go around?" Bosco said, trying to look around the cars also.  
  
"No. It's right before the exit. Once you get past the accident, it should clear out," she said as they inched closer. The closer they got, the more she could figure out what happened. Apparently, a vehicle went off the road on the left shoulder and into the trees that divided the west and east lanes of the Thruway. Suddenly, it registered in her brain that she was looking at a familiar vehicle.  
  
"Oh my God," she said, sitting forward and putting her hands on the dashboard.  
  
"What?" asked Bosco.  
  
"It's Jimmy," she said and as if he knew it before she said it, Bosco began getting to the shoulder of the road in preparation to stop. He pulled well off the shoulder and put the car in park. Kim started to get out of the car and Bosco grabbed her arm. Jimmy's vehicle was rammed up against a thick tree trunk and the front was crumpled up all the way back to the windshield. He didn't think anyone could survive that.  
  
"Kim, wait here. Let me go check it out. I've got the badge," he said, reaching to the back seat and carefully taking his wallet out of his jacket pocket without waking up Joey. "Besides, if Joey wakes up and sees it's Jimmy he's gonna freak out. I'll be right back," he said and Kim nodded and settled back against the seat.  
  
Bosco got out and closed the door, careful not to step into the driving lane. He walked up toward the accident and was stopped by a New York State Trooper.  
  
"Sir, you need to go back to your car. We have all the help we need," stated the Trooper. Bosco opened his wallet and showed him his badge. The Trooper relaxed a little knowing that this wasn't just a civilian trying to get a look at the wreckage.  
  
"I know the guy that's in that vehicle," Bosco said. "Is he alive?"  
  
The Trooper got a solemn look on his face. "Yes, Sir. But, he's hurt pretty bad. It could go either way from what I could see, but I'm not a doctor. You know his name?"  
  
"Jimmy Doherty. He's with FDNY. My wife's ex-husband. We were all coming back from Boston. We stopped at a rest stop for gas and he kept going. Is he conscious?" Bosco asked him.  
  
The Trooper shook his head. "No. Not since I've been here. I don't see any skid marks. Looks like he may have fallen asleep. Witnesses say it looked like he just veered off the road. He had to be extricated and the medics are getting him stabilized. We've got a Life Flight helicopter on the way to airlift him to the nearest trauma hospital. Any preference if they ask?"  
  
"Angel of Mercy," Bosco replied. "Let me go tell my wife and stepson and we'll head over there ourselves." Bosco started to walk back toward his car and turned back to the Trooper. "Can I see him first?" Bosco asked. In the slim chance that Jimmy could hear someone, he wanted him to hear a familiar voice - to know that he wasn't alone. At least he thought that's what he'd want if it were the one in the ambulance. "Thank God Joey wasn't with him," he thought to himself as the Trooper brought him over to where the medics were trying to stabilize Jimmy. He climbed into the back of the ambulance, trying to stay out of the paramedics' way. The Trooper explained to the medics who Bosco was.  
  
"He's critical. We have to move him now," said the medic who seemed to be in charge.  
  
Bosco nodded and moved a little closer to Jimmy. He reached out and took his hand as if he were going to shake it. He looked at Jimmy and could hardly recognize him because of the cuts and blood.  
  
"Jimmy. If you can hear me, it's Bosco. You're gonna be okay. The medics are gonna take you to Mercy and Kim and I will meet you there. I'll take care of calling your folks, you just use your strength to get better," Bosco said. After a moment he realized that Jimmy wasn't going to respond to him and he nodded to the medics and got out so they could get him to the helicopter.  
  
He shook hands with the Trooper and walked back to the car, trying not to look as concerned as he was. He climbed back into the car and Joey was awake and sitting on Kim's lap. He'd been crying and it looked like all Kim could do was to try to hold back the tears so as not to scare Joey more. He locked eyes with Kim.  
  
"They're flying him to Mercy. I told Jimmy we'd meet him there," Bosco told her without looking away. He reached over to Joey and said, "They're taking good care of your Dad, Joey. He's hurt pretty bad, but he's strong. Your Dad said to tell you that he loves you," Bosco said.  
  
Kim climbed into the back seat and fastened the seatbelt around Joey. Joey clung to his mother and looked out the window as Bosco slowly made his way around the traffic that the Trooper had cleared for him and they continued toward home. Kim looked at Bosco and mouthed the words she was afraid to ask out loud.  
  
Bosco whispered back. "He's alive, but it's bad. Looks like he fell asleep and ran off the road the Trooper said." Kim hugged Joey tightly as they drove the rest of the way in silence. 


	65. Waiting

"I called Brooke," Kim said, sitting down next to Bosco in the O.R. waiting room.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause mad at him or not, she's still his wife. She deserves to know. I don't think she's coming down though."  
  
"You call the house?"  
  
"Yeah. I called his folks too. They're on their way."  
  
"When does the shift end for the firefighters?"  
  
Kim checked her watch, "About an hour. They should start arriving soon. I talked to Doc. He said he'd let them know."  
  
"You okay?" he murmured to her, trying not to wake Joey, who had finally fallen asleep again.  
  
"No. I'm scared for him but I'm also a little mad at him for not knowing he was to tired to drive and not having the sense to pull over," she looked around her. "I hate hospitals."  
  
"Babe, if you feel that way, you're in the wrong profession. Maybe you should take the police test."  
  
"So we can both drive Christopher nuts?" Kim said. "I don't think so."  
  
"He'd hate it."  
  
"Hell, it'd be worth it just to make him suffer." Kim giggled. "You know he thinks Davis is gay, right?"  
  
"He doesn't know that Davis is sleeping with Taylor?"  
  
"No, no one does- wait a second. How did you know that?"  
  
"Guy thing."  
  
"Not fair."  
  
"Well, how'd you know?"  
  
"Girl thing," Kim winked. "You know Carlos doesn't know and he believes Christopher's story?"  
  
"Morons, the both of them," Bosco shook his head.  
  
"Yeah but see Christopher is a vicious moron. Carlos is just your average, every day moron and I really do not know how Ty stands living with him."  
  
"Baby, people said the same thing when we started going out, remember?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So what'd you say to them when they asked why you'd ever go out with me?"  
  
"That there were two sides to you. The cop side and the regular person side."  
  
"So maybe there's two sides to Carlos."  
  
"Maybe and maybe there really is a Santa Claus."  
  
Bosco laughed at that. "You want some coffee?"  
  
"Nah."  
  
"Okay," he laid Joey down gently and kissed Kim. "I'll be back."  
  
"I'll be here."  
  
Bosco had been gone a few minutes when Kim heard Alex's voice.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
Kim shook her head. "We don't know yet. Lieu let you off early?"  
  
"No. I wasn't on today. Doc called me at home and I came down."  
  
"Take a seat."  
  
"Don't mind if I do." She sat down. "Where's your other half?"  
  
"Getting coffee. If he brings back one for me it's all yours."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Alex, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"When you first met Bosco, did you ask yourself what I was doing with him?"  
  
"No, not really. It's tough to explain but I always figured there must be more than meets the eye with Bosco if you were so nuts about him."  
  
Kim smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"And then there was the fact that he had a really cute-"  
  
"Yeah I know all about it. I've got it in bed with me every night."  
  
"Aren't you lucky?"  
  
"Yeah, I am." Kim smiled. Then she looked over Alex's shoulder. "Here comes the gang." 


	66. Bad Memories

"Hey," he said, coming up behind her as she stared out the window. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and was immediately frightened by her trembling. "Kim?" he said, turning her to face him. "What is it? What's wrong?" he said, becoming worried. She shook her head, shrugging off his concern. "Kim?" he said more intent.  
  
"Nothing's wrong. It's the same every time. Too many times," she said, turning back to the window, clearly agitated.  
  
"What's the same?"  
  
"The waiting," she said beginning to pace. "The damned waiting. I'm not good at it," she said, becoming more upset. "I suck at it actually."  
  
He walked over to where she was pacing and stood in front of her, taking hold of her arms so that she couldn't walk away from him. The trembling seemed to feel worse to him.  
  
"Kim, what's going on?" he said, not letting her pull away like she was trying. "Don't pull away from me. Tell me what's going on?" She shook her head again, like she was trying to erase an image.  
  
Bosco watched her torment as tears sprang to her eyes. "I just-," she started then stopped, looking into Bosco's eyes. "I keep seeing it. As I sit in the same waiting room, looking at the same walls with the same marks on them, with the same chairs and the same sounds. Hell, the same magazines are probably here," she said, taking in a sharp breath as she tried to control her emotions.  
  
"You keep seeing what, Baby?" Bosco asked. They hadn't heard Catherine Zambrano come up behind him. Kim had called her to come take Joey to her place so he could get some decent sleep.  
  
"She keeps seeing what happened when Bobby got shot," Catherine said and Bosco and Kim both looked at her. "Tell him, Kim."  
  
"Kim?" Bosco said, looking back at his wife. She didn't answer him. He looked back at his mother-in-law.  
  
"It happens sometimes - when you're late coming home from work and she doesn't know if it's because somebody hurt you. Or, when she sits here in this hospital waiting room waiting to hear about one of her co-workers that was injured at a fire or some other call. You need to tell him, Kim," she repeated, looking at the back of her daughter. "You need to tell him that you keep hearing that shot; that you keep seeing Bobby lying in that dirty, disgusting bathroom, with his blood all over; that you keep feeling the barrel of that gun against the back of your head and the terror of those moments when you didn't know if he was going to shoot you next," she said for her.  
  
"Kim? Is that true? Why didn't you tell me?" Bosco asked, moving around so that he was facing Kim. Her cheeks had fresh tears on them. "How often does this happen?"  
  
"Not often," Kim said quietly. "I'm sorry," she said.  
  
"Sorry? Sorry for what? You've got nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry I didn't know something was wrong," Bosco said, taking Kim in his arms. He looked over Kim's shoulder at Catherine who had tears in her eyes too.  
  
"It only happens once in a while. Not nearly as much as it used to right after it happened," Kim said, exhaustion in her voice.  
  
Bosco put an arm around her shoulders and said, "C'mon. Let's go sit down. Everything's gonna be okay, Kim. I'm right here and Jimmy's gonna be okay. We'll talk more about this later." Bosco led Kim back to the chairs where Jimmy's family, co-workers and friends were waiting.  
  
The doctor came out and asked for Jimmy's family. Mrs. Doherty asked Kim to come with her in case she didn't understand something the doctor said. Bosco watched as Kim listened to the doctor. To Catherine he simply said, "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"She made me promise not to. She didn't want to worry you and thought it would go away completely. You have to make sure that if you're late from work that you call her so she knows you're okay," Catherine said. Bosco nodded. "I will."  
  
The doctor had finished talking and Kim was returning as the others gathered to hear her report. "He's gonna be okay. He's got a long road and he's gonna need a lot of help, but he's gonna be okay. He's awake and he remembers driving down the road. He doesn't remember falling asleep and he doesn't remember hitting the tree, which is probably a good thing," Kim said, looking over at Bosco who gave her a wink. "He's got a bunch of fractures, but nothing major, and he's gonna need some stitches here and there from the broken glass. He was very lucky," she finished. She caught site of Alex who was looking past her at something. She turned and saw the one person she never expected to see.  
  
She walked over and smiled. "I didn't think you'd come."  
  
"How is he?" Brooke asked, nervously playing with her keys and feeling the stare of everyone.  
  
"He's gonna be okay, but he's gonna need some help. He needs you, Brooke," she said.  
  
"I don't know, Kim. He really hurt me. I don't know if it'll ever be like it was," Brooke said.  
  
"It won't ever be like it was. He knows he hurt you and he's knows that he hurt himself by doing that. He's changed a lot over the past few months. Believe me, I'm the last one to believe that he could change, but I've seen it. He really needs you," Kim said again.  
  
"We'll see. Can I see him?" she asked.  
  
"You're his wife. Of course you can see him. C'mon, I'll show you where," she said, putting a hand on Brooke's elbow and walking down toward the ER doors. 


	67. Merry Christmas

Bosco opened his eyes and grinned lazily. It was Christmas morning. It was his first Christmas married to Kim and it was his son's first Christmas. He rolled over onto his side and pulled Kim into the curve of his body. He smiled when he heard her breathing change and knew she was waking up. He gave her a few minutes before whispering, "Good morning."  
  
"Mmm. Merry Christmas," she whispered.  
  
"Merry Christmas. How long do you think we can lie here before Joey comes bursting in?" He asked.  
  
"Not long," Kim said after a quick check of the clock. "He should be up in a few minutes." She turned onto her back and took his hand. "We made it through the year."  
  
"It wasn't all bad. It had its good moments," Bosco said, lacing his fingers with hers.  
  
"This is true," Kim smiled. "I think one of the best will be up soon too."  
  
"Probably," he agreed. "Maybe later we can take some holly out to the cemetery."  
  
"We'll save that for tomorrow. Bobby would hate us being in a cemetery on Christmas. He'd say we were being morbid."  
  
Bosco grinned. "Probably. I love you Kim."  
  
"I love you too," she smiled.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"Hey Bos, can you get that please? It's probably your mom or Mel. They said they'd come over and help with dinner," Kim said from the kitchen.  
  
The doorbell rang again a few minutes later.  
  
"Bosco?" Kim poked her head out of the kitchen. She frowned when she saw Bosco and Joey engrossed in the video game Joey had gotten that morning. "Hello?"  
  
Bosco looked up. "Oh, hey honey. What's up?"  
  
"Answer the door," she said before she pulled her head back into the kitchen.  
  
"Why? It's not," he was cut off by the sound of it buzzing. "Oh. Sorry."  
  
"Uh-huh," was Kim's answer.  
  
Bosco pulled open the door. "Hey Ma, come on in. Here, I'll take those."  
  
"No peeking Maurice. You hear me?" Rose said sternly. "Hi Kim," she called.  
  
"Hi Rose. Merry Christmas!"  
  
"You too sweetie. Now, where are my grandsons?"  
  
"Hi Nana!" Joey said, hopping up and hurrying over. He'd started calling her Nana because he had decided that having two grandmas was enough and three would be confusing. Rose had agreed and they'd settled upon Nana.  
  
Rose smiled and hugged Joey. "You look happy. Did Santa Claus bring you a lot of presents?"  
  
"Uh-huh and Mrs. Caffey and Grandma Grace and Grandpa Andrew. They all sent me presents. Aunt Mel and Grandma Catherine are bringing their presents over later. Then Grandma Grace is gonna take me to see Dad so I can give him his present."  
  
"Sounds like you have a very good Christmas planned. I hope you have time to open the present I got you."  
  
"I will," Joey grinned. "Promise. But maybe I better open it now, just to make sure."  
  
"Nice try Joey," Kim called from the kitchen. "Why don't you and Rose go see if Johnny's up yet?"  
  
"'Kay," Joey said glumly, a little bummed that his mother had ruined his plan. "C'mon Nana."  
  
Rose followed Joey and Bosco joined Kim in the kitchen. "Kinda Grinch like of you to spoil Joey's fun."  
  
"He knows the rules. No presents till after dinner," Kim said, not turning around.  
  
"Kimmy," Bosco put his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her shoulder.  
  
"It's not gonna work. I'm standing firm on this one," Kim said with a smile on her face that Bosco couldn't see but he could definitely hear it.  
  
"Liar," he whispered into her ear. Then he whispered something else.  
  
"Right now?" Kim asked with wide eyes.  
  
"No, later tonight."  
  
"Just for letting Joey open your mother's present now?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Kim thought for a moment. "Okay. But you better deliver."  
  
"When I have I ever not?"  
  
Kim giggled. "This is a good day."  
  
"The best." 


	68. Punctual

Kim looked at the clock as the phone rang. Bosco always called if he couldn't stop home so he could say goodnight to Johnny and Joey, and it was about that time.  
  
"Well, aren't you punctual," she said as she answered the phone.  
  
"Yeah, well I try," Bosco said.  
  
"Are you gonna be punctual tonight, because I really want you bad, you Stud," Kim said.  
  
"If I have to shoot somebody to be done on time, that's what I'll do," he joked.  
  
"Oooh. You'd do that for me?" Kim said.  
  
"Baby, I'd do anything to get to you. How's things?" he asked.  
  
"The usual. Joey doesn't want to go to bed. All his friends get to stay up way later," she said, quoting Joey. "And I think Johnny's teething because he's miserable."  
  
"Great. Glad I'm here," he joked. "So did I miss them or can I talk to them?" he asked.  
  
"Sure. Hang on. Joey? Bosco's on the phone," she yelled toward Joey's room. Bosco listened as Kim talked baby talk to Johnny telling him that Daddy was on the phone. He laughed as he heard his son giggle. He heard Kim and Joey talking about something and wondered what it was about when he heard Kim say, "We'll talk about it later, okay?"  
  
"Hi Bosco. Shoot anyone today?" Joey asked him. He loved to hear his stories about work, even though Bosco left most of the more gruesome details out.  
  
"Not yet, but the night's still young," he joked. "How'd school go today?"  
  
"Okay. There's a kid bugging me at school. I think I'm gonna kick his butt tomorrow," he said seriously and both Kim and Bosco had to hold their laughter.  
  
"Joey. That's not always the answer. What's the kid doing?" Bosco asked.  
  
"Well, it's not really me he's picking on, but this other little kid. There's this group of kids that keep gangin' up on him. It's not fair," Joey explained.  
  
"Hmm. Don't do anything about it right now. I'll think on it and maybe we can come up with something together. Okay?" Bosco said.  
  
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow before I go to school?" Joey said.  
  
"You bet. Let me talk to your brother," Bosco said. Kim held the phone up to Johnny's ear and listened as Bosco talked to him through the phone. She described the faces and noises that the baby was making to Bosco and then they talked a little bit.  
  
"Faith seem any better today?" Kim asked.  
  
"Mmmm. She's got good and bad days. I just wish she'd tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help," Bosco said, looking through the window of the payphone as Faith sat in the RMP.  
  
"I'm sure she will, Bos. When she's ready. I tried talking to her, but she said everything was fine," Kim reminded him.  
  
"Yeah. What're you gonna talk to Joey about later?" he said, remembering what Kim had said to Joey right before he took the phone from Kim.  
  
"He wants to know if he can call you Daddy like Johnny does," Kim said with amusement in her voice.  
  
Bosco smiled. "It's okay with me, if it's okay with you and Jimmy. I AM his Step Dad after all," Bosco said.  
  
"We'll see. Jimmy's been a lot better since he and Brooke are back together, but I don't know if it'll piss him off," Kim said as Faith honked the horn.  
  
"They must be bangin' us with a call. Gotta go. Love you. Give the kids a kiss," he said.  
  
"Love you too. Be careful and bring the cuffs home with you," Kim kidded as Bosco hung up the phone and started to laugh as he headed back to the car.  
  
"Is she talking dirty to you again?" Faith asked as he got in the car with a smile on his face.  
  
"Even when she's not trying to," he said, sighing as he flipped on the lights and siren as Faith told him where the call was. 


	69. A Day in the City

"Hey Copper," Kim teasingly greeted Faith in the ER of Mercy.  
  
"Hey Kim," Faith smiled. "Looking for Bosco?"  
  
"No, I just saw him head for the men's room so I thought I'd come talk to you."  
  
"Oh? Something wrong?"  
  
"No. At least not with him and me. But he thinks and I'm starting to agree that there may be something wrong with you."  
  
"Something wrong with me?" Faith raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?"  
  
"Just a feeling we have. You've been kind of off lately. I guess we all have but he's worried about you."  
  
"I'm fine, really."  
  
Kim studied her for a moment. "Faith, if you are fine, then great. It's Bosco's paranoia. But if you aren't, then please don't keep secrets from him. He thinks of you as family and the idea that you're keeping something from him really hurts him."  
  
Faith nodded. "I feel the same way."  
  
"I know," Kim smiled. "Hey, why don't you and Fred bring Emily and Charlie over for lunch on Saturday? The boys can hang out and if Emily wants to she can bring a girlfriend so she isn't bored out of her mind."  
  
"He's not at Jimmy's this weekend? I thought Jimmy was released yesterday."  
  
"He was but since it's his first weekend home, Brooke and I talked him into taking it easy. He's gonna spend Tuesday night over there."  
  
Faith nodded. "Yeah, okay. I'll talk to Fred and let you know tomorrow."  
  
"Cool," Kim nodded. She looked around the crowded ER. "You seen Alex?"  
  
"Outside," Carlos said walking by them.  
  
"Thanks," Kim said before she walked out into the ambulance bay.  
  
Faith watched her go and sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, Kim and Bosco knew her pretty well. She was gonna have to tell them both the truth and she was gonna have to do it soon before it affected her work.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"This is fun," Kim giggled.  
  
"See, I told you that you'd like it," Bosco grinned at her. "It's a good way to release tension."  
  
"And lord knows we've built up an inordinate amount lately."  
  
"True."  
  
"Did you talk to Faith again today?"  
  
"No. She was pretty quiet for the rest of the day."  
  
"Hmm," she said lazily. "Maybe she'll talk to you tomorrow."  
  
"Maybe," Bosco spun her around again and then pulled her close. The lights were down low and the music played softly over the speakers. "You know, I can think of other ways that we can reduce tension."  
  
"Why Officer, are you propositioning me?"  
  
"Yes I believe I am."  
  
"Oh good," Kim said with a smile and that was the last thing either of them said for a while. 


	70. Trust

"Bosco!" Faith called after him as he walked out of the locker room. Bosco heard the pain in her voice, the sob escape from deep within her, as he opened the door and walked out. He knew she was hurting, but he just couldn't be there right now. She had betrayed him as his partner. She withheld information from him - information that nearly got him killed tonight. But, more importantly, she had betrayed him as a friend- best friend he'd thought up until tonight. Now he wasn't so sure.  
  
He still heard the echo of his words in his ear - "It's me, Faith. It's me. I'm not anybody."  
  
"Oh God. Please don't let her die," he thought to himself as the fear of her illness began to settle on him. The pain from the broken rib and the beating he took from the door hurt, but it was nothing compared to the thought of her not beating this disease. He'd never lost anyone that was this close to him.  
  
He walked down the hallway and saw his wife standing at the end. She was watching him, concern on her face. He remembered the look on her face when she'd come into the emergency room. Not even Proctor could hold her back. He thought back to the events of tonight.  
  
------- It wasn't until they were in route to the hospital that Faith pulled the cell phone out of her pocket as she rode in silence alongside him in the ambulance. He watched as Faith dialed Kim's number and remembered how terrified she was about him not calling her - hearing about him being shot from someone else. He knew she'd freak out if it weren't him that told her.  
  
"Faith," he whispered. He was still out of breath. "Let me talk to her," he said, reaching for the phone.  
  
"Bos, you really shouldn't," Doc said as he checked his vital signs again.  
  
"No. I need to call her so she doesn't get scared," he said, looking at Faith and seeing the lost look in her eyes. She was taking this pretty hard, he thought to himself.  
  
He took the phone from her and held it up to his ear and heard her answer. "Hello?"  
  
He made an effort to sound as normal as possible despite the pain. "Kim, it's me. I had a little mishap at work and I have to get checked out," he started only to be interrupted.  
  
"What? What happened? Bosco, I'm on my way down there. I love you," Kim said, only to be interrupted by Bosco.  
  
"No. I'm okay. Don't bring the baby out this late. I'll be home in a little while and you'll see I'm fine," he urged her.  
  
"No. You don't sound fine. You sound terrible. I'll have my Mom come over to stay with the kids and I'll meet you there. What happened, Bos?"  
  
He knew he wasn't going to change her mind about coming down to the hospital. "It's nothing. I just think I broke a rib and I'll probably have a black eye," he said, rolling his eyes at Doc, knowing that he'd catch hell for lying to her but he didn't want her to kill herself trying to get to the hospital. It'd be bad enough when she got to the hospital and found out that he'd been shot at.  
  
He handed the phone back to Faith and their fingers touched for a moment. He thought he felt her draw back from him - almost like she was afraid to touch him. He couldn't make eye contact with her.  
  
Doc had noticed too and thought that maybe she was in shock from seeing her partner almost get killed. "Faith?" Doc asked her. "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?" he asked her.  
  
"What? Oh. No. I'm fine," she said, a tear welling up in her eye. Doc noticed, but decided not to push it right now. He'd make sure that someone checked her over at Mercy when they got there.  
  
"She's sick," Bosco whispered.  
  
"What?" Doc asked him.  
  
"She threw up before," he said. "I shouldn't have pushed it. I knew she wasn't feeling good. I should have waited for back-up," he said, knowing that she probably felt guilty for not being there to back him up. He had himself to blame - he knew she was sick and he pushed her anyway. Forced her to follow him in. -------------  
  
He reached the end of the Precinct hallway and Kim. "You look like crap," she said simply.  
  
"Thanks. I feel like crap," he said, trying to make light of it. But Kim saw the look on his face. It was different than a look of pain from an injury. It was something else. They walked outside together, Kim's arm around Bosco's waist as he leaned on her a little.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked him. He just shrugged, but she wouldn't let up. "What's wrong?" she asked him again. She watched his face as he looked off ahead and saw his eyes get watery. He didn't actually cry, but it looked like he wanted to. She stopped walking and stepped in front of him. "Baby? What's wrong? Are you okay? Do you need to go back to the hospital?" she asked and he looked at her.  
  
He shook his head no at her question about going back to the hospital and looked at her. "Faith's sick."  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Kim said, sensing that it was something serious.  
  
"She has cancer," he said, the word catching in his throat.  
  
"Oh no," Kim said. "Where?"  
  
"In her breast. She said that they think they got it all, and the doctor told her everything looks really good," he told her. "She had a radiation treatment today and she had to take some medicine for the pain. That made her sick and she couldn't back me up. That's what happened tonight, Kim," he said, the pain now clearly on his face.  
  
Kim looked at him for a moment and let him catch his breath sensing that there was more. "Bos?"  
  
"She didn't tell me, Kim. I thought I was her best friend and she didn't tell me. If I had known I would have waited for back-up. I thought she was right behind me - until it was too late," he said, the tears starting to fall now. "I thought I'd never see you or Johnny or Joey again when that guy pointed my own gun at me and shot me," he finished leaning on Kim.  
  
Kim got Bosco to his car and put him in the passenger seat. She would drive home tonight. "I have to go grab my stuff from the firehouse," she told him. "I'll be right back."  
  
He watched her cross the street and then stared out the front window of his mustang. After a few minutes, he caught sight of Faith coming out of the station out of the corner of his eye. He made eye contact with her and then looked away, giving her the message that he didn't want to talk to her right now. Faith stood there for a moment and noticed Kim walking back across the street.  
  
"Kim," she called out to her and Bosco watched as Kim hesitated for a moment and then walked over to Faith. He could see the tenseness in Kim's stance and hoped that she wasn't going to 'go off' on Faith, but he just didn't have the energy or desire to intervene right now.  
  
--------  
  
"Kim. I'm sorry," Faith started only to be interrupted by Kim.  
  
"How dare you, Faith. I trust you with Bosco's life every day that you go out there and he does too. Just like Fred and you trust Bosco with your life. How dare you hold something like this back from him? He could have been killed tonight if that bullet had hit at a different angle or higher. My God! What were you thinking?" Kim lashed out. Faith stood there accepting her beratement. "More than that, you told him that you don't trust him. If he'd known, he wouldn't have gone ahead without you. Knowing that you trust him is everything to him. You've hurt him, Faith," Kim finished.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry Kim. I thought I could handle it and I did up until tonight. It was the pain medication that I took this time. I just didn't want anyone to know. I didn't want to be treated differently at work. I should have taken some time off and I'm sorry. Please tell Bosco that for me and ask him to call me," Faith said looking over at her partner who was watching them.  
  
"I'll ask him, but I wouldn't expect a call in the next couple of days," Kim said softening a little. "So, how are you? What did the doctors say?"  
  
"I'm good. They feel they got it all and I'm just finishing up the radiation treatments. I won't feel sure until I'm cancer-free for a couple of years though. I'm gonna take a few days off, Kim. So, if he feels like calling, I'll be home. Again, I'm sorry. I was wrong."  
  
"Okay, I'll tell him," Kim said, putting an arm on Faith's. "Take care of yourself and call me if you need anything."  
  
"Thanks, Kim. G'night," Faith said and looked over at Bosco. She gave him a tentative wave and he just nodded his head slightly. He watched as Faith turned and walked toward the train platform, the look of defeat showing in her steps.  
  
Kim came over to the car and got in. "You okay?"  
  
"Great," he said sarcastically. "What was that all about?"  
  
"Tell you later. I called my Mom and she's gonna take the kids to her house for the night. Joey doesn't have school tomorrow so getting to sleep late won't bother them. Mom sends her love and says to call if we need anything," she finished, trying to gauge his mood. "You need to call your Mom," she advised him.  
  
He reached over and put Kim's hand to his lips and kissed it. "Let's go home," he said quietly. 


	71. Conversations

Doc noticed Kim staring out the window of the bus again.  
  
"You okay?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm?" she looked over at him. "Yeah, Doc, I'm fine."  
  
"Okay," he nodded. She'd gone back to looking out the window. "How's Bosco?"  
  
"Healed. Thanks for taking such good care of him the other night."  
  
"No problem. Must be rough, huh?"  
  
"What?" Kim looked back at him.  
  
"It must be rough to be married to a cop. The not knowing."  
  
"It can be," Kim said quietly. "But you can't choose who you fall in love with."  
  
"No, you can't," Doc agreed. "Hey, how's Joey?"  
  
"He's okay. He's being Mister Tough Guy and I trying to restrain myself from strangling Jimmy."  
  
"He'll be okay Kim. It's just a broken bone."  
  
"I hate when guys say that," she groaned. "It seems like it's some kind of honor thing with you guys. I'm sorry for being a girl, but I don't see it that way."  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
"Oddly enough yes I do. Thanks Doc," Kim chuckled.  
  
"Anytime," Doc smiled.  
  
~&~&~&~&~  
  
"Hey," was what Kim heard as she read a magazine during some downtime.  
  
She barely acknowledged the speaker except for a nod of her head.  
  
"He's okay, you know."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Kim, would you please talk to me?" Jimmy finally said.  
  
"Jimmy, not now, okay?"  
  
"You know you were quiet even before this. Is everything okay? You and Bosco? I heard he got hurt, is he okay?"  
  
"He's fine and so are we."  
  
"So, this is about Joey? Look, he's okay. It's just-"  
  
"It's just a broken arm," Kim said. "Yeah I know. That's not my problem. My problem is that you seem to think that it's a good idea to teach him to hold everything he's feeling inside. Jimmy, he's a little boy. Lay off the tough guy crap, okay?"  
  
"Kim, I'm just trying to toughen him up a little," Jimmy said.  
  
Kim rolled her eyes. "Yeah and while you're toughening him up you're also sending him a message. I want you to think about something Jimmy. Do you want a real relationship with your son or do you want a son who's too scared to let his father know that he's hurting or scared because he doesn't want to disappoint him?"  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"You look more relaxed," Kim said that night, as she and Bosco got ready for bed.  
  
"I am," he agreed.  
  
"Good. I take it that means you talked to Faith."  
  
"Yeah. We got some things in the open."  
  
"Good," Kim smiled. "You know, you were great with Joey today."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. You knew not to panic and you knew not to tell him to be a man and not to cry. Thanks," she smiled as she got into bed.  
  
Bosco followed her and put an arm around her as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Everything I learned about parenting I learned from my mom, Faith, and you."  
  
Kim smiled up at him. "You haven't been a bad teacher yourself. Is everything really okay with Faith?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Good. I like Faith. She's kept you from killing yourself for a long time. I owe her one. I owe her several."  
  
"Me too." 


	72. Family Ties

"I don't care, Faith. He's getting in deeper and deeper. I can't turn my back on it anymore," Bosco said in exasperation and he and Faith walked outside after stopping by to check on his brother in the holding cell. "It's time somebody stopped looking the other way."  
  
"But, Bos. What're you gonna tell your Mom?" Faith asked. "It'd be different if someone else arrested him, but YOU arrested him, Bos. His own brother arrested him. Are you sure you want that much heat from your family?" Faith tried to reason with him.  
  
"Family?! Family? We're not a family, Faith. We're a bunch of screw-ups that happened to grow up in the same house. Just ask my Dad. He'd be more than happy to tell you how worthless we are," he replied simply.  
  
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to call his mother and let her know what was going on. He dialed the number and the phone turned off. "Dammit. It's dead," he said, shoving the phone back in his pocket and stopping. "Do me a favor and let Kim know I'll be out in a minute. I gotta go back inside and call my Ma."  
  
"Alright. Good luck," Faith said, looking across the street to see Kim coming out of the fire station as Bosco walked back into the stationhouse.  
  
"Yeah, I'm loaded with that," he mumbled as he climbed the steps and went through the door.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey, Faith. Where's my stud?" Kim asked cheerfully as she walked up to Faith.  
  
Faith smiled. She never got tired of hearing the two of them talk to or refer to each other. It was cute. She'd wondered when she and Fred had stopped talking like that to each other and couldn't remember. "He had to make a call and his cell phone was dead. I'll warn you now, he's in a pretty foul mood," Faith said.  
  
"Oh great! What happened?" Kim asked.  
  
"Well, we arrested this drug dealer tonight and of course, you know Bosco. He wanted the next guy up and this guy set up a buy with his supplier. So, we sat and waited in this lot and sure enough the car pulls up. We order the guy out at gunpoint and when he turns around, it's Bosco's brother," she explained.  
  
"Mikey?!" Kim said. "Oh man. Did Bos kick his ass before he let him go?"  
  
"Well, there's the catch. He arrested Mikey, Kim," Faith told her.  
  
"What!? His own brother?" Kim asked in disbelief.  
  
"I tried to stop him, but he wasn't listening. Said it was time to stop looking the other way. He's inside telling Rose now," she said.  
  
"Boy, I don't want to be him when she starts lighting into him," Kim said.  
  
"Yeah, well. He can't say I didn't warn him," Faith said. "He said he'd be out in a couple of minutes. I've gotta get home. Good luck," she said before leaving.  
  
"Yeah, thanks, Faith. Be careful going home," she said, waving to Faith.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^  
  
"Hi, Ma," Bosco said into the phone. "It's me."  
  
"Maurice? Are you alright?" Rose asked, looking up at the clock. He didn't normally call her this late unless there was a problem.  
  
"Yeah, Ma. I'm fine," he said, realizing there was no easy way to give her the information. "But, it's Mikey. He's gonna needs some help. He got arrested tonight. For selling drugs, Ma," he said, leaving out the part that HE arrested him.  
  
"What!? Where is he?" Rose asked.  
  
"He's here at the station. He's gonna need a lawyer, Ma. You need to get him a lawyer," Bosco told her.  
  
"Is he okay? Can't you get him out of this, Maurice?" she asked and Bosco could hear how upset she was getting.  
  
"No, Ma. I can't help him this time. He screwed up pretty royally this time. I'll tell him you're coming down, okay?" he asked, hoping that she would just hang up and head down here. He'd have time to get out of here before she got here.  
  
"Yeah. Tell him I'm getting a lawyer and I'll be right down. We'll all talk then," she said, hanging up the phone. He put the phone down and just stared at it for a minute. There was no way he planned on being here when she found out who the arresting officer was.  
  
He stood up and walked toward the front of the building to meet Kim, passing the holding cells on his way. He stopped and looked over at his brother. "I called Ma. She's getting you a lawyer and she's on her way," he said. Mikey shrugged and turned away from Bosco. "You need to give them someone higher up, Mikey," he said as he continued out to Kim.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Bosco came down the stairs and saw Kim leaning against his car. "Hey," he said quietly.  
  
"Hey yourself," she said, putting her head up to kiss him. "You okay?"  
  
"Faith told you, I guess," he said, leaning down to meet her kiss.  
  
"Yeah, she did. Bosco. Are you sure you did the right thing here? I mean, whatever you decide, I'm behind you one hundred percent, but this is family, Bos. This is gonna change things," Kim said to him as he leaned against the car next to her.  
  
"I know, Kim. But, it's getting worse and worse. I didn't want to do it, but he was giving me attitude, like he knew he was gonna get out of it because it was me. If it weren't me this time, it'd be someone else arresting him later on. And who knows how deep he'd be into it by then. It's time to stop it, Kim," he said, looking over at her.  
  
She nodded and stood up to stand in front of him. She kissed him and gave him a hug. "Let's get home," she said. Catherine was watching the boys at their apartment because Joey had school in the morning and Johnny had been fighting a cold so she didn't want to bring him out this late at night.  
  
"Yeah, I don't want to be here when she finds out I'm the one that arrested him," he said sheepishly.  
  
"You didn't tell her?" Kim asked him.  
  
"You're kiddin' me right? And I'm not answering the phone tonight either," he said, kissing Kim and walking around to climb into the car. 


	73. Walking in the Middle of the Night

Kim reached beside and felt that the bed was empty. She sat up and adjusted her eyes to the dark, looking around the room. Bosco wasn't there. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 4:00 in the morning. She got up and put on her robe. Walking up the hallway, she stopped in to check on Joey and Johnny - both were sound asleep.  
  
She heard a glass or bottle being set down on the table in the living room. She slowly walked up the hallway and saw the silhouette of Bosco against the slowly lightening sky. She watched him sit forward and pick the bottle of beer back up and take a drink. He set it down again, next to the other three bottles that were already empty. He had some kind of case open on the table in front of him, but Kim couldn't tell what it was.  
  
"Bos?" she called to him quietly. No answer. "Bos, are you alright?" A slight nod of his head as she approached him.  
  
"Go back to bed Kim," he said, finally looking up at her. He didn't say it meanly, but she could tell that he didn't want to be bothered. As she approached she could tell that he had a slight buzz on from the beer. That, and he was physically and emotionally exhausted after what happened earlier.  
  
She put a hand on his head, gently rubbing the short hairs on the back of his head. She looked down at the case and pulled her hand away from him. "What're you doing with that?" she asked, starting to become nervous.  
  
"Go back to bed," he said a little more firmly now.  
  
"No. I don't want that in this house. Where did you get it?" she asked, firmness in her voice too.  
  
He reached over, threw a small box in the case and closed it, turning the combination lock to make sure it couldn't be opened.  
  
"Glen gave it to me this morning," he said quietly. "He said it was his first and he gave it to me when we went shooting this morning.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bos. But, I don't want that thing in the house with the boys. It's bad enough that your off-duty gun is here. I know it's locked up and I know you've gone over all that stuff about gun safety with Joey, but they make me really nervous, Bos. Please," she said, interrupted when Bosco suddenly stood up.  
  
"I'll take it out of here today," he said, walking over to put it in the front closet behind their long winter coats. "Promise."  
  
"Are you okay, babe?" Kim asked him, watching him pace.  
  
"Yeah. Never better," he answered, picking up his empty beer bottles and putting them on the counter in the kitchen. She walked up behind him and hugged him from behind. She could feel his tenseness and he tensed more when she touched him.  
  
"I love you," Kim whispered to him.  
  
"Me too," he answered looking out the kitchen window at the brightening sky. "Morning soon. You should get some more sleep," he said, breaking away from her and putting his sweatshirt on, somewhat unsteady from the beer.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked him, starting to worry.  
  
"I'm gonna go for a run. I'm too keyed-up to sleep and I can't sit anymore," he said, opening the door and looking back at her. "I'm okay, Kim. I just need some time," he said, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Be careful," Kim said before he had closed the door all the way.  
  
"Yup," she heard him say and then he was gone.  
  
Kim walked over to the window to watch him. He stretched his legs a little on the front steps and then started his run. "Bosco, how can I help you?" she thought to herself as she started a pot of coffee.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
After running for about an hour, Bosco slowed up and stopped to catch his breath, not even sure where he was. He bent over and put his hands on his knees, trying to suck in some air. He felt a chill and noticed that he was sweating from his run. He stood up and found himself standing in front of Glen Hobart's building. The building where he'd died. The building where he had thought for a moment that he was going to die. But that was before he'd realized that Glen just wanted to use him to commit suicide - suicide by cop.  
  
He thought back to the previous afternoon when he was on the roof, the gun to his head. He saw again the clip falling from the gun and landing on the ground alongside his foot. Glen's words, "I'm gonna end this on 'one'," ran threw his mind again. And that's when he knew that it wasn't about Glen killing Bosco. It was about Glen wanting the hurt to go away - wanting to end his own pain. He just didn't have the guts to do it himself - or he wanted to go out the way his 'career kills' had gone out - who knows. Bosco felt himself start to shiver with the morning breeze cutting threw his sweaty clothes. He took a last look toward the roof of the building, "What now, Glen? What now?" he said quietly to himself and began walking back toward home.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The phone rang at 6:00 a.m. "Who the hell could that be?" Faith thought to herself as she reached for it.  
  
"Hello?" she said as Fred shifted beside her. "Kim? What's wrong?" she asked sitting up. Knowing that it was Kim got Fred's attention and he was fully awake as well. Faith had told him what had happened and although they never really got along, it still must have been a terrible thing to go through.  
  
"Okay. I'll get dressed and start looking too. I'll start at the Precinct first and then I'll work from there. Rose hasn't heard from him either?" Faith asked as she stood up and started grabbing clothes from her dresser.  
  
"Okay, it'll be okay, Kim. I'm sure he's just blowing off steam somewhere. He'll be home soon. Call me on the cell phone if you hear from him," she said before hanging up. She looked over at Fred.  
  
"What's wrong? Where are you going?" he asked her.  
  
"Bosco's been gone since about 4:30 this morning. He told Kim he was going for a run, but she hasn't heard from him yet. I guess he had a few beers before he took off," she told him.  
  
"Can you blame him? Well, do you have any idea where to look for him?" he asked.  
  
"No. I'm gonna start at the Precinct and then at the range. He likes to go there to blow off steam sometimes," she said as she finished dressing and grabbed her shoes. "I'll call you," she said, giving him a kiss as she started down the hallway.  
  
"Mom?" Emily asked as she passed her doorway.  
  
Faith leaned in and whispered. "It's early Em. Go back to sleep."  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked her mother.  
  
"Bosco's upset about yesterday," she said, knowing that Emily had heard Faith telling Fred what had happened. "Kim's not sure where he is and I'm gonna help her look for him."  
  
"You don't think that he..." Emily said, not able to finish the sentence.  
  
"No!" Faith answered quickly. "Absolutely not. He's just upset and we want to make sure he talks about it, Em. He'll be fine. You'll see," she said. "Now go back to sleep before you wake up Charlie. I'll be home soon."  
  
Faith grabbed her keys and pulled the apartment door shut behind her.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Nobody had seen him at the station so Faith made her way over to the range to see if maybe he was there. She was looking around when her cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" she answered and heard Bosco's voice on the other end.  
  
"Hey, Faith. It's me," he said.  
  
"Hey, you. Are you okay?" she asked him.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry that you got dragged out. I'm fine. Kim just overreacted," he said.  
  
"No problem. As long as you're okay. Are you home now?" she asked him, trying to gauge his mood by the sound of his voice.  
  
"Yeah. I'm home. I went for a run and then stopped for coffee at a diner. I didn't want to wake up the kids and I needed to think," he explained.  
  
"Okay. You want me to come over?" she offered.  
  
"Nah. I'll see you at work tomorrow. Lieu made me take a day off, but I'll be back tomorrow. We're gonna take the kids to the park later and just hang out together. Thanks again, Faith," he said, not sounding too bad.  
  
"Anytime, Bos. I mean it," she said before hanging up.  
  
Faith was back at home and her phone rang again. This time it was Kim.  
  
"Thanks, Faith. I'm sorry that I made you go out so early," Kim said.  
  
"No problem, Kim. Really. So, is he okay - really?" Faith asked her.  
  
"I'm not sure. For right now he is. He just took a shower and now he's crashed on the bed sleeping," Kim said.  
  
"Okay. Well, call me if you need me. Bye," Faith said, hanging up.  
  
"Is he okay?" Fred asked over his cup of coffee.  
  
"I don't know," was all Faith said. 


	74. Not Talking

"You okay?" Alex asked as she and Kim dressed in street clothes after their shift.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"I don't know. You just seem a little quiet today. You barely said two words in the last four hours."  
  
"I'm just thinking," Kim said quietly. "So, how are you doing?"  
  
"I'm okay. I think Davis and I are driving Carlos nuts though."  
  
"Carlos is nuts," Kim agreed.  
  
"This is true," Alex nodded before she took a better look at Kim. The other woman looked tired. "Johnny keeping you up at night?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You look tired."  
  
"Oh, no. I just have a little insomnia. It happens every now and again."  
  
"I know the feeling," Alex nodded.  
  
"Yeah. See you tomorrow Alex."  
  
"Night Kim."  
  
Kim headed down the stairs and out to the street.  
  
"Kim."  
  
She turned. "Hey Faith. How's it going?"  
  
"How's Bosco?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Uh, he's okay, I think."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No," Kim admitted. "I'm worried about him Faith. He doesn't eat, he barely sleeps, and he won't talk to me."  
  
Faith nodded. "How are things with him and his mom?"  
  
"She's still mad at him. The only time he acts close to normal is around Joey and Johnny and I think even there that Joey's starting to think something's wrong."  
  
Faith sighed, "I didn't know whether or not I should tell you but I talked to Lieu and he said he'd see to it that Bosco went to see a counselor."  
  
"Oh, he's not gonna like that Faith."  
  
"I know but I had to do something. He won't talk to me either," she admitted.  
  
"Is your Lt. gonna talk to him before he goes home?"  
  
"Yeah. Bos got called into his office just as we were leaving. I'm supposed to tell you that he'll be right out."  
  
Kim nodded. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Night."  
  
"Night," Kim echoed. She watched Faith walk away and drew in a breath. Whatever happened next wasn't gonna be good for her, Maurice, or Faith. 


	75. Choices

"She's doing it because she loves you Bosco!" Kim hissed at him. "She cares about you. You're her partner, her friend, and in case you've forgotten, she's also Johnny's godmother. She's looking out for him by looking out for you."  
  
"She didn't have the right Kim. She went to Lieu instead of just talking to me."  
  
"She tried talking to you. I've tried talking to you. You just won't talk back."  
  
"Kim-"  
  
"No, you're not gonna do this. You're not gonna pretend everything's fine when it's not. Maurice, I love you. I married you for better or worse. Well, we've have them both but it seems like the only time you're willing to join in the worse is when it's about me. You wouldn't let me push you away when Bobby died. Why is it so easy for you to push me away now? Is it because you have something to prove to someone? Why can't you lean on me? Or if you can't lean on me, at least talk to Faith. She's always there when you need her."  
  
"I have to hold it together."  
  
"You don't have to do it alone," Kim said. She put a hand to the side of his face. "Please, let me help you."  
  
"We gotta go in."  
  
"We can be late."  
  
"Christopher will have my ass."  
  
"Screw him," Kim said firmly.  
  
"I'll talk to you later," Bosco got out of the car.  
  
"Baby." her voice trailed off as the car door slammed behind him.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"Oh God," Kim breathed as she looked around her at the sight of the shoot out. "Doc?"  
  
"Over there," he pointed at some shot-up gang members.  
  
"C'mon," Alex said.  
  
Kim helped Alex but she also looked around. Then she saw him. Bosco was standing near Doc and Carlos. He had blood on his face but he was standing. He looked over at her. He didn't look away.  
  
He mouthed 'I'm okay,' and Kim found herself able to breath again.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"Faith? Hey you alright?" Kim asked the police officer.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay?"  
  
"How's the kid? What's his name? Gusler or something."  
  
"He's okay too."  
  
"Good."  
  
"You seen Bos?"  
  
"For a bit at the accident sight. We didn't really talk."  
  
"He's okay Kim."  
  
"I know," she rolled her eyes. "I had to marry a cop right?"  
  
"Can't choose who you fall in love with."  
  
"I'd still choose Bosco," Kim said. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye." 


	76. Anniversaries

Bosco was leaving for the gym. It was Kim and Bosco's day off, but Bosco hadn't been spending too much time at home lately. If he wasn't working, he was going to the gym or going out after work, or pacing at night while everyone else was sleeping. Kim was pretty worried about him, but despite her concern for him she had something else on her mind as well. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Bobby's death and all the memories kept playing over and over in her mind.  
  
She knew she should talk to Bosco about it, but he had enough on his mind right now. She'd talked to Faith a couple of times because he wasn't talking to Faith. He was still mad at her for going to the Lieutenant behind his back. That, and the fact that she had a couple of days off from the shooting where Ross died and Ty got shot.  
  
"Bos?" Kim said, as he gave Johnny a kiss and grabbed his gym bag before heading for the door.  
  
"Yeah," he said flatly, almost without feeling it seemed. He turned toward her and she got the impression that he was impatient to leave.  
  
"Nothing. Never mind. Have a good workout. You coming home right after?" she asked him, irritated as his lack of concern for their family lately, but understanding it too. She just hoped that what he told her about seeing a doctor and the doctor telling him that he was fine was the truth. She doubted he'd been, but she didn't want to call him a liar.  
  
"I think so. I might stop at my Ma's after the gym," he said, opening the door and pulling it closed behind him.  
  
No sooner had the door closed than the phone rang. She answered it only to hear Jimmy on the other end.  
  
"Jimmy? What's up?" she asked, confused as to why he'd be calling her.  
  
"Um. I wanted to know if it's okay if I pick up Joey after school today and keep him for until Sunday," he said hesitantly.  
  
"But, you're not supposed to have him until the weekend?" she said, more confused now.  
  
"I know, but I've got these tickets for the circus and I've got a couple of days off so I thought we'd make it a longer visit this time. Look, I just want to spend a few days with him. Is that so terrible?" Jimmy asked, getting agitated now. He didn't want to come right out and tell her that he was worried about her dealing with the anniversary of Bobby's death. He'd thought that she'd be okay with Bosco, but he'd heard through the grapevine that something was going on with Bosco and he didn't want him in that situation. The last time he'd talked to Joey, the boy had mentioned that something was going on with Bosco.  
  
"Um, yeah. I guess so. But, if Joey decides he wants to come home early, don't give him a hard time about it, Jimmy," she answered finally.  
  
"No problem," Jimmy said. "I'll pick him up from school so you don't have to worry about it," he said, hanging up.  
  
As soon as she was done with that call, the phone rang again. This time it was her mother, Catherine. "Hi, Mom. What's up?" she asked.  
  
"I was wondering if I could pick up Johnny tonight and keep him for the day tomorrow," Catherine said, trying to sound casual.  
  
"Mom. I'm fine," Kim said, a little irritated.  
  
"I know you're fine, but I want to see my grandson. I haven't spoiled him in days. Besides Mrs. Bianco from next door is coming by tomorrow and I want to show him off," she lied.  
  
Kim thought for a moment and then decided that maybe the extra time alone with Bosco might be good. They talk a few things out and he could help her get through tomorrow. "Alright. I guess it's just me and Bosco tomorrow then," she said.  
  
"What d'you mean, Kim? What about Joey?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Jimmy's taking him after school today through Sunday. I think he's got the same ulterior motives as you," she teased. "I'm fine. It's a sad day, but I'm okay," she reassured her mother.  
  
"Okay. I'll be over in a little bit. Need anything from the store on my way over?" She asked.  
  
"No. I'll run out while Bosco's at the gym. It'll give me some fresh air."  
  
"How're things going with him?" Catherine asked. Kim hadn't told her everything, but enough that she was worried.  
  
"The same. Maybe this will be good that we have a whole day without having to worry about the kids," Kim said.  
  
Kim hung up and started to get Johnny's overnight bag ready. She put in extra diapers and extra food and clothes and Catherine was there before she knew it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bosco had finished working out at the gym and was driving toward Rose's bar. He was sitting at a red light and watched the wrecking ball smash into the building on the corner. It was an old, burned out building that needed to be torn down so that it didn't fall into the street. He watched as the bricks fell inward and the dust rose.  
  
He suddenly felt himself shaking, the sweat forming and the tightness in his chest. He saw the images of September 11th all over again and was finally brought out of it by the sound of the car horns behind him. The light had turned green and was just about to turn red again. He shook his head and pulled over to try to catch his breath, not looking at the driver's who were displaying their displeasure at him blocking their progress.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kim walked around the apartment waiting for Bosco to come home and trying not to think about Bosco. "He hadn't come home till after 2:00 a.m. last night. So much for going to work out and then stopping off to see his mother quick," she thought to herself. She'd called him on his cell phone and when he answered she could hear music and loud talking in the background. She figured he was still at Rose's place.  
  
"Are you planning on coming home tonight?" she asked, irritated, but trying to keep it out of her voice.  
  
"Yeah. I'll be home in a little bit. Some of the guys stopped in after work and we were just talking," he said and Kim noticed the slur in his words. He was doing more drinking than talking.  
  
"Bosco. Are you okay?" she asked him. "Do you want me to come get you?"  
  
"No. I'm fine, Kim. Can't I just have a couple of drinks with the guys?" he said, hanging up the phone.  
  
"Yeah, great," Kim thought to herself. She walked over to the window and stared out. Soon her thoughts were on Bobby again. She finally went to bed and heard Bosco come in. She heard him walk unsteadily down the hallway, stopping at Johnny's and then Joey's rooms. He called out to her.  
  
"Kim? Where's the kids?" he asked as he made it to their room.  
  
"Joey's with Jimmy and Johnny is with my Mom. I think they were both worried about..." she didn't get to finish because Bosco suddenly turned and ran toward the bathroom and began throwing up.  
  
After a few minutes, he managed to make it to the bedroom and flopped on the bed, instantly falling asleep. That seemed to be the only way he could sleep lately - when he'd had too much to drink. Something needed to be done. She knew he wasn't going to work that way, because Faith would have called her on that. "But, something has to happen soon," she thought, watching him sleep, always with a frown on his face lately.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bosco just kind of moped around the house and did a few projects - some minor repairs that had to be done. He didn't seem to notice that Kim was awfully quiet today too or he would have asked her and then he would have realized what she was dealing with.  
  
He left at 2:00 to head for work, giving her a light kiss.  
  
"Be careful," she called after him. He simply put his hand up without turning around and walked out the door. He didn't see the tears forming in her eyes as she was left alone with her memories again.  
  
Kim was sitting on the front steps of the apartment building, her coat pulled tightly around her against he cold winter air. She didn't even hear her come up alongside her until she spoke.  
  
"Hey, Kim," Alex said, starling Kim.  
  
"Hi Alex. What're you doing here?" she asked, and then got scared. "Is Bosco okay?"  
  
"Yeah, he's fine as far as I know. I'm not working today," she said, looking at the tired face before her.  
  
"Oh," Kim said absently. "How's Ty doing?"  
  
"Okay, I guess. I don't see him too much anymore," Alex said simply.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kim said, looking at her friend. "I haven't been paying too much to what's going on around me lately."  
  
"It's okay," Alex said. After a moment she continued. "I'll go with you if you want."  
  
Kim looked at her. "Where?"  
  
"The cemetery. I mean if you want me to. If you need me to go with you. It's time, don't you think?"  
  
Kim thought for a moment and then looked back up at her. "Yeah. I think you're right. Thanks, Alex."  
  
"No problem. I need to say good-bye to him too," Alex said. Kim invited Alex upstairs while she got ready to go say her good-bye to Bobby. 


	77. What He Wants

"You know the date really registered for the first time today," Bosco told Faith as she handed him some water after he'd calmed down. Her apartment was quiet and it was late.  
  
"Yeah? I know you and Kim celebrated your anniversary," Faith said sitting down on the couch next to him.  
  
"Not that. Bobby's anniversary was last week. I totally forgot."  
  
"Oh God," Faith breathed. "You're not the only one."  
  
"It's not the same Faith. You're not her husband," he set the glass down. "Although I haven't been much of one lately."  
  
"She was afraid you didn't want her around before. That's why she didn't come into the room at the hospital."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Yeah I know. Sully told me." He sighed. "Have I completely screwed up my marriage Faith?"  
  
"I can't answer that. I can tell you that Kim loves you. If she didn't she would've walked a long time ago."  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
"Go home and talk to Kim, Bos. She's probably wondering where you are."  
  
"Doubt it. She probably thinks I'm passed out at some bar."  
  
"Go home Bosco. Talk to your wife. Don't just let your marriage go."  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Melanie was sitting on the couch when Bosco walked into the apartment.  
  
"Hey Mel," he said to his sister-in-law.  
  
"Hi Bos."  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Mom didn't want to push so she sent me instead of coming herself."  
  
"Oh," Bosco nodded and looked around. "The boys?"  
  
"Johnny's asleep and it's Jimmy's birthday so Joey's over there."  
  
"Kim?"  
  
"She's taking a shower," Melanie got up off the couch. "You know, I don't spend nearly enough time with my nephew so we're gonna go back to Ma's and we'll see you in the morning." She picked up a diaper bag and Johnny from his room and smiled over her shoulder as she left, "See ya."  
  
"Bye," Bosco said as the door closed. He shed his jacket and went into his room. He could hear the water running. He listened for a moment as the sounds of the water hitting Kim's body changed as she moved around. Then his eyes caught something on the dresser. He wondered when she'd had the roll developed as he picked up the framed photo of himself, Kim, Faith, and Bobby at a restaurant about a week after he and Kim got engaged. He smiled remembering Bobby's rendition of 'That's Amore'. May he rest in peace, but Bobby didn't have the prettiest of voices. He put it down as he thought of what Bobby had said to him when Kim had given him the news that she and he were getting married.  
  
I"Treat her right Boscorelli, or you'll have me to answer to. I have three sisters. I'm good at beating guys up."/I  
  
Bosco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. II'll do better Bobby,/I he thought to himself. II promise./I  
  
"Bos?"  
  
He turned around. Kim was in the doorway of the bathroom. Her hair was combed and wet around her shoulders and she wore a shirt with the NYPD logo on it along with a pair of boxer shorts. She looked a little anxious, a little confused, and, wincing cause he knew it was his fault, a little lost.  
  
She was still the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.  
  
"Hey," he said softly.  
  
"Is Mel still here?"  
  
"No. She took Johnny and went to your mom's."  
  
Kim nodded. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
"Good," Kim nodded as she went past him towards their bed. "You staying?"  
  
"I wanted to talk."  
  
She stopped by the edge near the nightstand. "Oh."  
  
"I love you. I just want you to know that. I want you to know that no matter what else has been going on I love you."  
  
Kim nodded. She hadn't turned around yet.  
  
"Kim, I've been messing up for months now and I guess it just all caught up to me. I nearly killed myself and Sully today. But I'm not ready to do that yet. I'm not ready to leave this world. I knew that when I woke up in the hospital." Bosco took a breath. "When I thought it was Faith that fired the shot that killed Ross, I told her that lately it seemed like everything I touched went to hell. I-"  
  
"Is that why you won't touch me?" Kim asked quietly. "And why you flinch when I touch you?"  
  
"Kim-"  
  
She turned around and Bosco saw that tears were streaming down her face. "What's this about Bosco? Do you want out? Is that what this is about? Is this where you tell me that the boys and I will be so much better off without you? Cause if it is, save it. You never did the noble thing well. Just say it and we'll cut our losses."  
  
Bosco felt tears burn his eyes. He'd done this. He'd hurt Kim. He'd made her think he wanted a divorce. "That's not what I want Kim," he confessed hoarsely.  
  
"Then what? What do you want?" she asked.  
  
"I want, I want to help Joey with his homework and be at his games. I want to get up in the middle of the night with Johnny and be the one to make him smile. I wanna fall asleep at night because I'm tired, not because I'm drunk." He took a deep breath and walked to her. He gently cupped the side of her face with his hand. "But, most of all, I wanna touch my wife. I want to hold her and feel her heartbeat against mine."  
  
Kim shyly ran a finger down the side of his face. "I really missed you," she whispered.  
  
"I missed you too," he pulled her into a hug.  
  
"We're gonna be okay Bos," she said softly.  
  
And coming from her, he believed it. 


	78. A New Day

It was beginning to brighten in the apartment - the morning slowly creeping in. There was no noise - Melanie had taken the kids with her last night. There was just the sound of Kim breathing, her gentle breath across his chest. Finally, he'd been able to let go and tell Kim a lot of what he was feeling. Not all of it, because he wasn't sure of all of it himself yet. He was surprised that when he told Kim that he'd broken down at Faith's apartment she wasn't upset that it wasn't with her. She said she understood - that no matter how much their jobs had in common, there was no way for her to know exactly how a cop felt about all the crap they go through. Only another cop could fully understand that - one that had been right there with him for the last nine years as he went through it. She was just glad that it had finally come out. He'd let a little more out after that, letting the last little bit go and knowing that he didn't have to be the strong one all the time. He just let Kim embrace him and hold him tightly.  
  
He'd consoled her about the anniversary of Bobby's death, apologizing frequently for not being there for her. She forgave him. "I don't deserve her," he thought to himself at the time. He'd have to remember to thank Alex for taking up his slack.  
  
And finally, things were calm and they were close and touching and things went from there. They began exploring each other all over again as if for the first time. After a couple of hours of lovemaking, here they were - safe and warm and entangled in each other's arms - the way it should always have been.  
  
He heard Kim's breathing change and realized that she was waking up. She kissed his chest, combing the hair on his chest with her fingernails. It tickled and Bosco jumped a little. She looked up and kissed him.  
  
"G'morning. How are you feeling today?" she asked him, sitting up and looking in his eyes. She noticed a certain calm in them that had been missing for a while.  
  
"I'm better. Thanks," he said, leaning over to kiss her. "How'd you sleep?"  
  
"Good. It's been a long time since I slept that good. I was worried about you," she said.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again," he promised her.  
  
Kim got up and threw on one of his NYPD t-shirts. "I'll make some coffee. Hungry?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, actually. I'm starving," he said in surprise. He hadn't had an appetite in quite some time. Kim walked out to the kitchen and Bosco heard the familiar sound of her fixing the coffee pot. He lay there a little longer, watching the sun work its way across the wall. He must have dozed off and suddenly, the smell of bacon crept in and his stomach growled loudly. He threw the covers back and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. By the time he was done, Kim had a huge breakfast ready with all his favorites.  
  
"That's all you're having?" he asked; looking at the one egg, slice of toast and glass of orange juice in front of her.  
  
"I have to keep my girlish figure," she said.  
  
"Mmmm. You felt like all girl last night," he said to her with a smile.  
  
"Keep it clean, Boscorelli," she said as she watched him eat. When he was done, he stood up to bring his dishes to the sink. Leaning over he gave her a tender kiss, holding it for a moment.  
  
"Thank you - again," he said and turned to put his dishes in the sink.  
  
"I forgot to tell you. Faith called last night right before you got here. She said she talked to Sully and got the name and number of Sully's friend for you. It's on the table by the phone," she told him. Sully had set up the last appointment for Bosco as a favor, but he'd never written the guy's name and number down. Faith had convinced him that he definitely needed to talk to him again - as someone that had no personal connection to him - and he agreed.  
  
"Thanks," he said, looking at the paper and recognizing the name, Brian O'Malley, when he read it. "I think I'll go talk to him again," he said quietly.  
  
"Good idea. He was okay?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Yeah, he was. Despite my being an ass," he said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"I'm sure you weren't an ass. You were in trouble. I'm sure he understood that," she said walking up behind him and picking up the phone. "Now's as good a time as any," she reasoned.  
  
He took the phone and looked at the clock to make sure it wasn't too early. He dialed the number and Kim listened as she began cleaning up from breakfast. Bosco told him a little bit about what had happened last night and he made an appointment for the next day.  
  
"Not until tomorrow?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Yeah. I told him about last night and he said that was a big breakthrough. He told me to just relax today, spend time with family and come see him tomorrow afternoon," he said, suddenly frowning.  
  
"What?" Kim asked, gently rubbing her thumb across his frown lines.  
  
"I may be able to relax everyday. I don't know if I even have a job anymore," he said, looking at her. "What am I gonna do, Kim? Being a cop is all I know."  
  
"Bosco. I'm sure you still have a job. You just need to talk to the Lieutenant and explain what's going on. He's been good to you. He'll understand. You're a good cop and they need you. They know that," she assured him.  
  
"I wonder if I can call him at home?" he thought, reaching for the phone to call the Desk Sergeant for Swersky's home number. Before he could dial, the phone rang while it was in his hand, causing him to almost drop the phone.  
  
"Boscorelli," he answered and Kim watched his expression change. "Yeah. Hi, Lieu. I was just gonna call to get your home number," he said. He looked at Kim and she told him she was going to go in the other room to let him talk in private.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was just finishing from her shower when the door opened and Bosco walked in. She looked at him in the mirror as she combed out her hair. "How'd it go?"  
  
"Good. Faith told him to call me, but she didn't tell him why. I explained everything to him. He told me not to worry about it - to come back when the doctor and I felt I was ready. He told me my job was waiting for me, but that he wanted me back healthy. He said I'm hard enough to deal with when I'm having a GOOD day," he said, chuckling.  
  
"I like him," Kim said. "He's a great guy."  
  
"Yeah, he is," Bosco said.  
  
"Hey, I have an idea. It's beautiful out. Let's pick up the kids and take them on a ride Upstate. We can have a picnic, maybe stay somewhere overnight, and drive home in the morning," Kim said with a smile.  
  
"What about school?" Bosco said. "And you have work."  
  
"No. I took a few days off. I called Doc while you were in the shower before. He said no problem. By the way, he sends his best. And Joey can miss a couple of days - this is too important. He's sensed that something's wrong and he's scared. He needs to know that you're okay," she told him.  
  
"Sounds great to me, if you're sure it won't put him too far behind in school," he told her.  
  
"If anything, I think it'll help him do better in school knowing that everything is going to be okay. Everything IS going to be okay, right?" Kim asked him.  
  
He grabbed her and drew her closer, kissing her neck and inhaling the fresh smell from her shower. "Better than okay," he said as he bit her neck.  
  
"Bosco. I just took a shower," she protested. "And I have to call Mel and tell her to get Johnny's stuff together. You have to go get Joey from school, and âE¦," her protests falling on deaf ears as he slowly convinced her to let him have his way with her. 


	79. Talking in the Quiet

"It's cold out here," Kim handed Bosco a cup of coffee she'd gotten at the small coffee shop next to the hotel while he'd put the boys to bed. She'd come back to find him sitting on a lounge chair outside on the small patio.  
  
"Thanks," he smiled as she settled in between his legs and leaned back against him. Her own coffee was on the small table next to the chair. He put his next to it and wrapped his arms around her. "We can go inside," he whispered.  
  
"No, I like it out here. It's quiet. I like that."  
  
Bosco pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "You looked kind of thoughtful at dinner tonight. What were you thinking about?"  
  
"Thanksgiving."  
  
"Kim, it's a few months away. I doubt you need to worry about it."  
  
"Haha," she said dryly. "No, I was thinking about the Thanksgiving right after we started going out. You remember? We were both working."  
  
"I remember spending most of the night in a restaurant with an emotionally unstable guy and his completely screwed up family. Why?"  
  
"Because I remember being in the middle of the street singing along with some drunk guy on top of a car just so he'd let us help him. I guess the diner had a customer that was a show tune fan tonight because it was playing over the jukebox."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Kim nodded. "Yeah," she looked at him. "I am. Really, okay? There are just some things that will always stay with me and always be in the back of my mind." She looked down for a minute. "Don't be mad?"  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"No. Last week, after I'd gotten Joey to school and Johnny to my mom's, I went to Riker's."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I wanted to see Mikey."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't really know why. I just knew I wanted to let him know that he was gonna be okay. He actually listened to me. I promised I'd send him books or something if he wanted me too. He said he'd like it if you came out to see him. I said I'd try as long as he didn't attack you. He said he wouldn't."  
  
Bosco nodded. "I'll think about it."  
  
"Good."  
  
"What else?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're not done," he played with her hair.  
  
"I really think you can read my mind," she teased.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"After I left I headed to work. I had some time so I got off a few blocks from the house and walked in. On the way I just started thinking. I wondered if he even knew. You hear things sometimes but who knows if he's even still in New York."  
  
"Matty?"  
  
Kim nodded, "Yeah." She closed her eyes. "It's been a year since he died and the last thing Bobby heard about him was right before Jimmy was shot. An old friend told him that Matty was panhandling at Grand Central."  
  
Bosco tightened his embrace and Kim rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
"Bobby and I had more in common then I knew," Bosco said quietly.  
  
"He liked you. He never expected me to hook up with you but he knew you made me happy and for that he liked you."  
  
"He was a good guy."  
  
"Yes he was," Kim agreed quietly. "Geez, I'm depressing."  
  
"No, you're not," Bosco assured her.  
  
"Yeah, I am," she smiled a little. "What did you and Faith talk about before?"  
  
"When I'm back on duty, we're gonna go back to being partners."  
  
"Good. That's good. I like knowing you're out there together."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause I trust Faith to watch your back and I trust you to watch hers. She's your best friend Bos. And while a small, tiny, insignificant part of me is a teeny bit jealous, I know that there's always gonna be a part of you that she'll always have a claim on."  
  
"Kim-"  
  
"Don't," she stopped him. "I know what it is to have that kind of trust with someone. I had it with Bobby."  
  
"I know," he kissed the top of her head. "I know you're right. I also know that there's a part of you that Bobby will always have a claim on, no matter what happens. Doesn't mean I like it."  
  
Kim laughed. "I love you Maurice, you know that?"  
  
"Yes, I do. I also know how lucky I am that you do. I knew that last night when you came out of the bathroom. You looked like a drowned rat but you were still the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen."  
  
Kim giggled. "Thank you, I think." She sat up a little and looked at him. "Let's go to bed."  
  
"You tired?"  
  
"No," Kim smiled slyly.  
  
"Good, me neither." 


	80. Better

"So, how did it go?" Kim asked him, glancing at the clock as he came through the front door and hung up his jacket.  
  
"Pretty good," he replied, letting out a big sigh. He walked over and sat down next to Kim on the couch and took Johnny from her. As usual, he got a big smile with a giggle. "Really good, actually," he added, making faces at his son and getting him excited.  
  
"You look tired," she told him as she handed him the baby's pacifier and favorite blanket. "He needs to take a nap so don't get him all excited. You want something to eat?"  
  
"No, thanks. You want me to put him down for a nap?" Bosco asked her.  
  
"Sure, if you want. You had a pretty long session today. Everything okay?" she asked him looking for signs of trouble. He'd been better and better after each session and she knew that it was only a matter of time before he went back to work. She knew that he was getting anxious to return, but she'd talked him into not pushing it and he had agreed.  
  
"Yeah. I stopped by work on the way home," he told her standing up and. He was talking softly so that the baby would calm down. "I'm cleared to go back."  
  
Kim turned around to face him. "Really? When?"  
  
"Whenever. I told the Lieu I'd be back tomorrow," he said looking back at her.  
  
"That's good. I know you've wanted to go back. You're sure you're ready, right?" she asked him walking over and cupping Johnny's head with her hand and gently rubbing it.  
  
"Yeah, I am," he said. "I'm good, Kim. Better than I've been in a really long time."  
  
"Well okay then. Did you tell Faith?" Kim said, kissing her husband as he started down the hallway to put the baby down.  
  
"I'll call her later on. She wasn't in the station yet. Joey due home after school?" Bosco asked turning into the baby's room.  
  
"He'll be with Jimmy after school today. He has a basketball game at school and then Jimmy's gonna take him for dinner. He'll drop him off around 8:00, so it's just you and Johnny for the evening. I've gotta get ready for work," she said, rushing past the room and into their bedroom.  
  
Bosco placed Johnny into his crib and turned on his favorite music. He watched him for a minute while he fell asleep as he listened to Kim moving around the bedroom getting ready. Suddenly, it was all he could do to get from the baby's room to their room. He was suddenly so tired.  
  
"You okay?" Kim asked him as he sat down on the bed.  
  
"Yeah. I'm just beat all of a sudden. I guess I was pretty tensed up today worrying about whether I'd be going back to work soon. Now, that it's all settled, I guess I can finally relax," he told her as he lay back on the bed. He didn't even feel her throw the blanket over him, kiss him on the cheek and head off to work because he was asleep before he was even totally on the bed.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco woke up just shy of two hours later to the sound of Johnny babbling to himself over the baby monitor. He looked at his alarm clock and saw that it was almost 4:00. He smiled as listened to his son talk for a few minutes and then got up to get him up. He felt refreshed after his nap and was glad that things would be getting back to normal tomorrow when he went back to work. He just hoped that Faith would be okay with him coming back - trust him to be there if she needed him.  
  
Bosco had changed Johnny and was playing with him on the floor in the living room while he watched the game on television when the phone rang.  
  
"Hello," he answered.  
  
"Hey. How are you?" came Faith's voice from the other end.  
  
"I'm good. How are you? I was gonna call you later," he said.  
  
"Yeah, well I was gonna stop over for my dinner break if that's okay," she said to him.  
  
"Yeah. Great. It's just Johnny and me tonight. Jimmy's got Joey till about 8:00," he told her.  
  
"I'm picking up some Chinese. You want anything?" she asked him.  
  
"Yeah. You know what I like. Thanks," he said hanging up.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Faith arrived about 15 minutes later and they sat at the kitchen table eating with Johnny in the high chair next to Bosco munching on a fortune cookie.  
  
"So, I don't know if you've heard, but I'm cleared to come back to work," he said, looking up to see her reaction.  
  
"Yeah. Swersky mentioned it to me after roll call today. That's great news," she said, leaving an awkward silence between them. But, of course Johnny voiced his opinion that he wanted more cookie so that broke the tension.  
  
"So, are we okay? I'll understand if you want a new partner," he said to her, not looking at her.  
  
"What?!" she said, a little too loud and scaring the baby.  
  
"I mean. I'd understand if you didn't trust me anymore. Although I'm fine, but I'd understand," he said.  
  
"Bosco. I've been waiting for you to come back. Why wouldn't I trust you anymore? After all we've been through together, why would you even think that? I mean, after what I did to you when I was sick. I'm the one who should be afraid of being trusted," she said to him, not taking her eyes off him and silently willing him to look at her.  
  
He looked up at her with the familiar, smart-assed grin on his face. "I never 'not trusted you', Faith," he said looking at her. He continued, "Well, good. Because I was afraid that I'd get stuck with Gusler and then I'd need therapy all over again." They both laughed, as there was a knock on the front door.  
  
Bosco got up and walked over and opened the door to find Jimmy and Joey there. "Hey, Joey. C'mon in guys," he said, standing to the side so both of them could get in.  
  
"Hey Bosco, Faith. How's it going?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Good," Faith answered. "I've gotta get back out there though before Sully and Davis think I'm ducking calls," she said, putting her jacket back on and heading for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bos."  
  
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," he said as he saw her to the door.  
  
After she'd gone, Jimmy said, "You're going back to work?'  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow," he answered.  
  
"That's great. I'm glad you're doing better, Bos. I never said anything before because, well, I didn't really know what to say, but I'm glad you're doing better," Jimmy said, reaching out to shake Bosco's hand.  
  
"Thanks, Jimmy. So, how'd the game go?" Bosco said, looking from Jimmy to Joey.  
  
"We won!" Joey yelled, jumping up and down which, in turn, made Johnny screech with delight.  
  
"Joey did awesome. He made like six points," Jimmy reported proudly.  
  
"Great job!" Bosco said, giving him a high-five. "And, at the risk of being the ogre, is your homework all done?"  
  
"Yup. Dad helped me do it after dinner," he told Bosco.  
  
"Good, 'cause you know your Mom's gonna call later and ask. Why don't you grab your shower and then we can watch the rest of the game until it's time for bed," he suggested.  
  
"Okay. G'night, Dad," Joey said, giving Jimmy a hug.  
  
"G'night, Champ. Good job today," he answered.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
True to predictions, about ten minutes after Jimmy left the phone rang. "That'll be your Mom. Why don't you get it," Bosco suggested.  
  
"Hello?" Joey said into the phone. "Yes, Mom. It's all done. Dad checked it. We won today," he added quickly at the end. Bosco watched Joey's facial expressions while he was listening to Kim and tried not to laugh.  
  
"Okay. I'm going. G'night, Mom. Do you want to talk to Bosco?" he handed the phone to Bosco, said goodnight, and headed off to brush his teeth and get into bed.  
  
"Hey you. Keeping the City safe?" Bosco said to Kim.  
  
"Trying, despite the efforts of all the morons out here," she answered. "I saw Faith a little while ago. She said she had dinner with you. She's really happy that you're coming back tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah. That makes two of us, but I'm gonna miss the kids," he said.  
  
"Well, that never goes away, unfortunately," she said. "I'll see you in a couple of hours. Did you have a nice nap?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks. You should have woken me up though," he told her.  
  
"Nah. You looked like you needed it and I knew that Johnny'd wake you up in a little while anyway. Love you," she said before hanging up.  
  
Bosco hung up and headed down the hall to make sure Joey was all set and to check on Johnny.  
  
"All set, Sport?" he said as he stood in the doorway of Joey's room.  
  
"Yup. G'night," Joey said and Bosco gave him a wink. As he started off to Johnny's room, Joey called to him and he returned.  
  
"I'm glad you're better, Bosco," Joey said, looking at his second father.  
  
"Me too, Sport. Me too. Sleep well," he said and watched as Joey turned over and closed his eyes. 


	81. Something Real

"Don't you dare answer that phone," Bosco said lowly as he kissed Kim's neck.  
  
"It could be important," she giggled.  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"It might wake Johnny," she pointed out.  
  
"I still don't care. We have a machine."  
  
"It-"  
  
"WAAAHHH!!!!"  
  
Bosco groaned. "Do not move," he said.  
  
"Can I at least answer the phone? Cause if I can't I might fall asleep again and then you'd have to take advantage of yourself."  
  
"Fine. You answer the phone, I'll go get our son back to sleep, and then you and I are gonna take advantage of each other."  
  
"Sounds like a good plan."  
  
"I was kinda proud of it," he grinned. "Be right back." As he left he heard Kim answer the phone. He got Johnny back to sleep after changing him and then went back to his room. Kim was sitting up looking a little dazed.  
  
"Kim? You okay?"  
  
She looked at him. "That was Doc."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"They found Alex's dad."  
  
"They sure?"  
  
"Yeah," Kim nodded.  
  
Bosco sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah I am. I'm kinda glad for Alex and her family. Her dad's friends, too. They have something not many people do. They have something real to say good-bye to."  
  
Bosco nodded. "You know I owe her one."  
  
"Alex?"  
  
"Yeah. She took care of you on Bobby's anniversary when I was oblivious."  
  
"You take care of me every day and I take care of you," Kim smiled. "It's been that way for a long time Boscorelli."  
  
"What the hell took me so long to ask you out?" Bosco wondered out loud. "I should've done it the first day we met."  
  
"If you had, Joey might be yours," Kim pondered with a smile. "And you might have been the one to sleep with Melanie."  
  
"Very funny," Bosco frowned. "I'd never-"  
  
"I know," Kim said. "I was teasing." She scooted closer and put one leg across his lap and the other along his back. She looped her arms around one of his and rested her chin on his shoulder. "I know you. I know that there are things you'd never do. You'd never run around on me and you'd never raise a hand to me or to Joey or to Johnny to hurt us. I know that. You're nothing like your father Bosco. You never have been. It's not in you."  
  
"You sure about that?" He turned his head so that his forehead rested against hers.  
  
"If I wasn't, there was no way in hell you'd have ever gotten me in front of a priest," she said.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim took off the jacket of her dress uniform and hung it over the arm of the chair she was sitting in. She would be eternally grateful that the powers that be hadn't decided to make skirts a part of the uniform once woman started working in the field. She looked up when Bosco sat down in the chair next to hers.  
  
He handed her a glass of soda.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Sure. You hungry? They got some pretty appetizing stuff in the dining room."  
  
"Nah. I'm okay." She looked around and saw Jimmy talking to Walsh. Something occurred to her. "Hey did you see Brooke today at all?"  
  
"No. I don't think she's here."  
  
"Weird. You'd think she'd come."  
  
Bosco nodded. He looked across the room. "I'll be right back."  
  
"Okay," Kim smiled.  
  
Jimmy walked up a little while later. "Hey," he sat down.  
  
"Hi. How are you?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kim nodded. "Where's Brooke?"  
  
"She didn't feel right coming today."  
  
Kim tilted her head and looked at him questioningly. "Why not?"  
  
Jimmy looked a little depressed. "We filed for divorce last week."  
  
"Oh Jimmy. I'm sorry."  
  
"Not your fault Kimmy. We just realized we couldn't go back."  
  
"You'll find someone. You will. Someone to love you, warts and all," Kim smiled.  
  
Jimmy chuckled a little. "Thanks Kim."  
  
"Sure."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"I owe you one," Bosco said quietly, once Alex was alone.  
  
She turned. "What?"  
  
"I owe you a favor. A big one."  
  
She looked over to where Kim was talking to Jimmy. "Don't push her away again and we'll call it even. But if you do, I get to kick your ass."  
  
Bosco smiled. "Deal."  
  
"Good." 


	82. Teenagers

"Hey, Kim," Faith called as she watched Bosco's wife walk into the stationhouse.  
  
"Hi, Faith. How's he doing?" she asked her. He called her to let her know that they were done and she could come and get him. He told her that he wasn't leaving until the found the little girl so she could take the car home after her shift to take care of the kids.  
  
"He's okay, I think."  
  
"How about you?" Kim questioned, looking at the exhaustion on Faith's face.  
  
"I'm okay too," Faith answered.  
  
"So, if you're both okay, he must look like hell too then?" Kim teased her.  
  
"Thanks. And you have a nice night too," Faith retorted.  
  
"Why don't you wait a minute and we'll give you a ride home," Kim offered.  
  
Faith stopped and looked back at Kim. She was tired and she really didn't feel like dealing with the people on the train at this time of night. She turned back to Kim and saw Bosco coming up behind her. "You sure?"  
  
"About what?" Bosco asked, the fatigue evident in his voice. Kim turned around and looked at him. It reminded her of when he was having the troubles with the panic attacks and she shuddered at the thought that they were starting up again.  
  
"Hey, you," Kim said, putting an arm around the small of his back and helping to propel him down the hallway. "About giving your partner a ride home," she told him.  
  
"No question. Get in," Bosco said as he held his hand out for the keys from Kim.  
  
"Like hell," Kim said, hitting him in the hip with her own. He just smiled. He was too tired to argue.  
  
"Thanks," Faith said. Bosco climbed into the backseat so that Faith could get out easier. He'd move up front after they dropped her off.  
  
Kim started off towards Faith's apartment and the two started talking. Bosco just sat in the back and listened and looked out the window, letting the sounds of their voices relax him. They arrived at Faith's building and she opened the door to get out. After thanking Kim, she turned to the back to thank Bosco only to find him sound asleep against the window. She looked at Kim.  
  
"Is he okay?" Kim asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah. It's a good tired. He worked his butt off to find this little girl. But it was a good ending this time. We all needed that. Take him home and pour him into bed, Kim," she told her.  
  
"Have a good night, Faith." Faith closed the door and Kim watched her until she was safely inside her building.  
  
^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^^*  
  
Kim drove home without the radio on. She loved to listen to the rhythmic breathing of Bosco when he was asleep. She pulled up in front of their apartment building, turned off the car and turned to wake him up.  
  
"Hey," she said softly, gently shaking his knee as she reached over the front seat. His eyes slowly opened and he looked around.  
  
"We dropped Faith off already?" he asked, unaware that they were in front of their own building.  
  
"No. I dropped Faith off. YOU dropped off as soon as the car started moving," she joked, bringing a smile from Bosco.  
  
"Come back here," Bosco said to her.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Come back here," he said again. She shrugged and climbed into the seat alongside him.  
  
"Here I am. Now what?" she said as she saw the look in his eyes and started smiling.  
  
He slowly leaned over and began kissing her. Soon they were both totally engrossed in each other and the fact that they were in the back seat of a car like teenagers didn't even dawn on them. After they were finished, they sat in the seat, Kim resting her head on Bosco's chest.  
  
"So, how's it feel?" she asked him.  
  
"Felt great," he said, thinking she was referring to their lovemaking. "It's been a long time since we did it in my car," he said as he played with her hair.  
  
"I meant finding that girl alive today," she said playfully hitting him in the ribs. He grunted and then laughed.  
  
"Oh, that. It felt good. Except that..." he paused, thinking of the look on Dr. Lewis' face as she found out that her sister had left with the little girl while she was getting coffee.  
  
"Except what?" Kim asked him.  
  
"That doctor from Chicago - the little girl's Aunt. She came all this way and she was so worried. She obviously loved the kid more than life itself. She was ready to do anything it took to find her. And even when we found her sister in that bus, all messed up on the drugs and half-dead, she still loved her. She still wanted to help her," Bosco explained as Kim just listened in silence, letting him talk it out. "Then we found that kid with that whacko. Thank God the only thing he did was sedate her. He didn't have the time or the guts to do anything more. She flew into that ER and took over with the ER Doc to make sure that everything was being done right for both Susie and her sister."  
  
Kim thought he was finished and said, "That's what family does, Bos. You'd do the same thing for Mikey and you know it."  
  
"She left," he said quietly.  
  
"What?" Kim asked.  
  
"The sister. She sent Dr. Lewis for coffee and then she took the kid and left. She didn't tell anyone where she was going or anything. What's gonna happen to that little girl without her Aunt to look after them?" Bosco said, looking at his wife.  
  
"We can only hope for the best, Bos. Hope that she decides that Susie's life is more important than her own," she told him.  
  
Bosco leaned down to kiss the top of Kim's head. "Let's go to bed. I'm beat."  
  
"C'mon. I'll get you something to eat first. You'll sleep better with a full stomach," she said as they got out of the car and headed upstairs, with their arms around each other's waists. 


	83. Infected

"Kim?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"I gotta go to work now."  
  
"Mmm. 'kay," she said drowsily. "I told Mom to call your cell when they got there."  
  
"Okay," Bosco smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Feel better. I'll bring home some chicken soup if I can, okay?"  
  
"Okay. Be safe. It'll be crazy out there tonight with the power out."  
  
"I know. I will," Bosco said, suddenly glad that Melanie's boyfriend had infected her with a nasty cold and that Melanie had in turn infected Kim. He wouldn't have to worry about her being out with all the crazies tonight. She'd be here and safe and the boys were on their way to Florida with Rose and Catherine so they'd be safe too. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye," she said before dropping back off to sleep.  
  
Bosco smiled before he let himself out of the apartment, locking the door behind him.  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
"Hey Bos," Ty greeted as Bosco walked over from his parking space.  
  
"Hey. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing," Ty looked over to the firehouse expecting to see Kim. "Where's your girl?"  
  
"Home in bed with a nasty cold. She got it from Mel, or as Kim has been calling her, Typhoid Mary."  
  
Ty grinned. "Wish you were there with her?"  
  
"Actually yeah. Not so much because the apartment's empty as the fact that I could use some sleep myself. We were up late and early getting the boys ready for their trip."  
  
"That's right. They left today, didn't they?"  
  
"Yeah, they'll be back in a few weeks," he said as they headed inside.  
  
"Miss them yet?"  
  
"Since the plane took off this morning," Bosco grinned.  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Bosco breathed deeply as he stood in the ambulance bay. He'd left Emily, Charlie, and Faith alone together, knowing that they needed their time as a family.  
  
Speaking of family, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Kim's, knowing that she'd probably still have it in bed with her.  
  
"Hey you," her sleepy voice said. "Why aren't you home yet?"  
  
"How'd you know it was me?"  
  
"I'm psychic," she teased. "Everything okay?"  
  
"No, not really. But I'll tell you about it when I get home, okay? I should be there soon."  
  
"Bos?"  
  
"I'm okay. It's not me."  
  
"Is it Jimmy?"  
  
"No. And the kids and our mothers are okay too."  
  
"Bosco?"  
  
"I'll be home soon. I love you."  
  
"I love you too." 


	84. Bad News

"What happened?" Kim asked Bosco, meeting him at the door. She noticed the defeated look on his face.  
  
"A lot," he said simply, not sure he really wanted to get into everything with her. He was still reeling from what Faith had said to him. He walked over to the kitchen to get a beer.  
  
"Bos?" she asked again, trying not to push. She could tell something had happened - something serious. She didn't know how much had happened.  
  
Bosco sat down heavily at the kitchen table, letting out a heavy sigh before he started. "Faith never showed up for work. I figured she got caught in traffic when the power went out. I went on patrol without her expecting the desk to call me back when she got there. She never got there," he said, looking away from Kim and out the window.  
  
"Have you talked to her? Asked her what happened?" she asked him.  
  
"I drove over to the apartment and just Emily, Charlie and the lady from across the hall were there. Emily said that Fred had a doctor's appointment today. So, I drove over there to see if they were still there or if I could find Fred's truck or whatever. As I pulled up, Faith came out the front door carrying Fred. He took a heart attack or somethin'," he said, looking at Kim.  
  
"Oh my God! Is he okay?" Kim asked.  
  
"I don't know. He's still alive. We put him in my RMP and got him to the hospital. They were doing CPR when we got there. I guess they shocked him a couple of times and got him back, but Proctor said he's not out of the woods yet," he said, stopping for a moment.  
  
"Something else happen?" she asked, sensing that he wasn't telling her something.  
  
"Davis and Sully brought in a guy they found in a storefront during the rioting. Turns out it's Chief Hancock," he said. He noticed Kim's confusion at not knowing who the man was and continued. "Chief Hancock - Chief of Patrols. Something weird about that. I guess he was with some prostitute or something according to Sully. All very hush-hush," he said, waving his hand in an "it's not important manner."  
  
"Anyway, I went and picked up Emily and Charlie to bring 'em down to the hospital for Faith and then I went back to the station to do all the paperwork," he finished, standing up and pacing a little.  
  
"Well, it's a good thing for Faith and Fred that you showed up when you did," Kim said. "I'll have to call the hospital and see what I can find out about Fred's condition. Does Faith need anything?"  
  
"I don't know. Like I said, I left right after I dropped the kids off. She didn't need me there. Nothing useful I could have done so I went back to the house to do the paperwork," he said. "Look, I'm beat. I'm gonna head to bed. You okay? Everything back to normal around here? How're you feeling?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm better now. I think the antibiotics finally kicked in. My Mom called. They landed in Florida and everything's fine. The kids loved the flight and the weather is beautiful. They can't wait to get started at Disney tomorrow. I don't think they'll get them to sleep anytime soon tonight," she said. "I miss them already."  
  
"Me too, but they'll have a blast," he said, with distance in his voice. Kim walked over to where he was standing in the middle of the room.  
  
"Babe? What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked him, putting a hand along his cheek.  
  
"Yeah. I'm wiped," he said, giving her a light kiss and heading down the hallway to the bedroom. He stopped and turned back toward Kim. "Faith said some things. I'm sure she was just upset, but..." he said with a frown on his face.  
  
"What things?" she asked him.  
  
"She wanted me to arrest Proctor for putting her hands on Faith when she was getting in the way. She said some things to me when I told her I wasn't going to arrest Proctor. Ah - it's not important. See what you can find out at the hospital okay?" he said, turning to go lay down.  
  
"I will. Get some sleep, okay?" she said and he nodded without turning back toward her.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Faith?" Kim said quietly as she walked into Fred's room. She'd waited until Bosco was asleep and then went down to the hospital.  
  
"Kim. Hi," Faith said as she stood up, trying not to wake up Charlie who was laying on her lap.  
  
"How's he doing?" she said as they stepped into the hallway.  
  
"Um, he's holding on," she said, starting to tear up. She took a moment to regain her composure. "Is Bos with you?"  
  
"No. He crashed as soon as he got home. I wanted to come down and see if you needed anything. You want me to take the kids back to my place - or even your place?" Kim offered, handing Faith a deli sandwich and a coffee that she'd picked up on the way over. "Or I'll stay here with Fred if you want to go get a breath of fresh air or something."  
  
"Thanks, but I really don't want to leave. I'm waiting for the doctor to come in and Fred's parents are coming to pick up the kids. I think he's gonna need some surgery," she said, her voice shaking.  
  
"He's in one of the best hospitals, Faith," Kim said, giving Faith a hug.  
  
"I know he is and I know Bosco's the one that got him here," she said, pausing as if she wanted to say more.  
  
"Well, he's glad that he found you in time," Kim said.  
  
"Did he say anything else?" Faith asked.  
  
"He said that you said some things while you were upset, Faith. They bothered him, but I'm sure you guys will work it out when this crisis is over," she assured Faith.  
  
"I said some awful things, Kim," Faith said, tears rolling down her cheeks again. "Things about him that are not accurate. I mean, they were accurate before. But, not now. He's a changed person from the person that I went through the Academy with and worked with for the last nine years. Would you tell him that for me?"  
  
"Yes, Faith. I will. He didn't tell me what you said, but I'll tell him this. Please let me know if there's anything we can do. I mean it. Whether it's just sitting here with you or helping out with the kids, or whatever. Okay?" Kim said.  
  
"I will. Thanks, Kim. And thank Bosco for me too, okay?" she said.  
  
"I will," Kim said, looking in at the kids sleeping on the chairs and turning to walk away. 


	85. Ass Backwards

"No, I think it's great. Uh-huh. She? Really? No. I'm not really. Yeah. Okay. I'll see you later. Love you too. Bye." Kim hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen of the firehouse. "What?" she said when she noticed the looks she was getting from some of the guys.  
  
"Nothing," Jimmy said, with a smirk.  
  
"You guys are like children, I swear. Where's Carlos? We need to get going."  
  
"You're riding with Carlos?" Alex asked. "Voluntarily?"  
  
"It's Doc's day off so we're in Adam together."  
  
"Lucky you," Walsh said.  
  
Kim rolled her eyes. "Hey Carlos! Let's go!" She shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Coming," was the response that came down the stairs.  
  
"Five minutes and then I'm leaving you here to explain to Johnson why I left without you," she said as she grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs.  
  
Carlos came down a few minutes later. "What's up her ass?"  
  
All he got were headshakes, frowns, and a few groans.  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Kim pulled on a T-shirt after her shift. She was buttoning up her jeans when she heard Jimmy call, "Coming up."  
  
"All clear Jimmy."  
  
"Not like you've got anything I haven't seen before," his trademark grin coming to his face.  
  
"Smart ass."  
  
"Hey, how's Faith doing?"  
  
"Okay. They have to operate on Fred."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "I've got Joey next weekend, right?"  
  
"Yeah. You're off on Friday so pick him up after school and we'll see you on Sunday."  
  
"Tell Faith, if she wants, I can take Charlie off her hands for a night or even a few hours on Saturday."  
  
Kim nodded, "I will. That's kinda sweet of you Jimmy."  
  
"I'm a sweet guy."  
  
"Sure you are," Kim rolled her eyes.  
  
"You okay? You've been kinda quiet all day."  
  
"Nah. Just kinda worried about Bosco. He signed up for ESU duty for a few days."  
  
"Yeah? Is that where the 'She?' comes in?"  
  
"What do you have, total recall or something?"  
  
"No, I just remember things," Jimmy smiled. "Like the expression your eyes get when you're jealous."  
  
"I'm not jealous."  
  
"That's good cause Bosco? He's ass backwards in love with you Kimmy."  
  
"Yeah, the feeling's mutual."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Lucky man."  
  
"Thank you," Kim eyed him strangely. "Night Jimmy."  
  
"Night," he said quietly. 


	86. Philosophic

He leaned against the doorframe of Johnny's room in awe of how different his life was now. He didn't know what he'd do if he'd lost either one of the kids - or Kim for that matter, but he knew he'd lay down his life for either one or all of them.  
  
"Whatcha' thinkin' about?" Kim asked him quietly.  
  
He hadn't heard her come up behind him from the bedroom. She'd been asleep when he came home from work, still recovering from being sick.  
  
"Nothing. Just thinking how lucky we are that we have two healthy kids and each other," he said.  
  
"What happened?" she asked him, putting her arms around him from behind and pulling him close.  
  
"What d'you mean?"  
  
"I mean, when you start being philosophic it means something happened at work. Is everyone okay?"  
  
"Yeah," he said, turning in her arms and wrapping his arms around her. "Everyone's fine. Now." They walked together into the bedroom and Bosco undressed and climbed in alongside Kim. "Alex was great today," he told her. "We had this kid missing - Ralphie. He was diabetic and didn't come home from school. Mom thought the kid got snatched up by a pedophile that lives in their building and Dad decided he wasn't gonna wait around for me and Faith to find his kid. He went off on his own and ended up beating the pedophile almost to death when he found him out on the street."  
  
"So, did you find Ralphie?" Kim asked him.  
  
"I'm gettin' there. The Mom brought us to the park where Ralphie's best friend was. Miguel White," Bosco said with a smile on his face.  
  
Kim looked at the amusement on his face and smiled herself. "Miguel?"  
  
"Yeah. Little kid - BIG attitude. Reminded me of me when I was his age. And the mouth on this kid," he said, laughing. "Anyway, he said that he hadn't seen Ralphie today 'cause he ditched school. Faith tried to give him her card in case he remembered something and he slapped it out of her hand."  
  
"What?!" Kim said.  
  
Bosco laughed again, "He was worried that we were gonna ruin his rep with his Homies. I'm sure we'll be seein' him again. Anyway, we found out from the kids' school that they were both in school today and they left together. We went back over to Miguel's apartment and once we got past HIS Mom's attitude about us talking to her kid, he led us to the roof of this building. Turns out he didn't want to tell us where they were because they were tossing bricks off the roof and broke some guy's windshield."  
  
"And?" Kim prompted. "You're not gonna leave me hanging are you?" she said, poking him in the ribs.  
  
"Hey! We called in everyone to start looking on the rooftops and found him in an airshaft of an abandoned building. We had to call FD to get him out. Alex had to get lowered down into this airshaft on a rope because she was the only one that would fit and could give him the drugs he needed. She was down there for awhile and ended up having to hang onto him when he started slipping," he finished.  
  
"Wow! Is she okay?" she asked him.  
  
"Yeah. She was pretty tired though when Jimmy and Billy broke through the wall and finally got him out."  
  
"And the kid's gonna be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, Doc said he's lucky. He's gonna be fine. Sully and Davis had to take Ralphie's Dad into custody for assault on the pedophile. He'll probably make bail tonight and the guy he thumped on is gonna make it."  
  
"And I missed it all. Figures. I could use a happy ending for a change," Kim said.  
  
Bosco turned toward Kim and kissed her. "I'm sorry. How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm better. I'll go back to work tomorrow. Kids are having a blast. My Mom called and I talked with Joey and Johnny. Mom said Joey's being great with Johnny. Then I just vegged on the couch all night," Kim said.  
  
"He's a good kid. You're doing a good job with him, Kim," he told her.  
  
"WE'RE doing a good job with him. And Jimmy, now that he's thinking with his brain," she said.  
  
"Yeah. So, how are you feeling - really?" Bosco asked his wife as he started to snuggle with her. "I mean, we're here by ourselves with no distractions. We should be making out like teenagers," he said, his hands starting to roam.  
  
"Oh, I'm feeling better and better. Hey! You're getting fresh, Officer," she teased.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am. To Protect and To Serve."  
  
"Mmmm. You're bad-" Kim mumbled and then there was no more talking. 


	87. One of Those Days

"It's just a guy from a house up town," Kim said, buttoning herself into a shirt. "He's just subbing till Lieu finds someone permanent."  
  
"I don't like you riding around with someone I don't know. Especially since he's a guy."  
  
"You never had a problem with me riding around with Bobby."  
  
"That was different," Bosco argued.  
  
"How so?" Kim turned around to look at him.  
  
"Bobby knew better then to make a move on you."  
  
Kim folded her arms and glared.  
  
"That came out wrong."  
  
"Ya think?"  
  
"What I meant was that Bobby had honor and he knew you were spoken for so he wasn't going to make a move on you." Bosco looked at her hopefully. "Is that better?"  
  
"Marginally," Kim tilted her head and smiled. "You're cute when you're jealous."  
  
"I must be gorgeous right now."  
  
"Definitely," Kim smiled. "You have nothing to worry about. This guy puts one hand out of place and his ass is grass even without your gun."  
  
"Good to know."  
  
"And then there's the fact that I just love you so damn much I can't even think of another guy," Kim said.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well that's good, cause I'm thinking I love you too."  
  
Kim wrapped her arms around him. "Wanna get hitched and have a baby?"  
  
"Sure," Bosco grinned.  
  
"Good answer."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, where are you?"  
  
"We're on our way home from the airport. Melanie just got out of the airport parking lot," Kim looked over at her sister. "Why?"  
  
"Can she drop you off at the hospital?"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"After you left to go get the kids, Alex got hit by a car."  
  
"Oh God."  
  
"Kim, she's okay. I talked to Doc and she came out of surgery fine."  
  
"What about the driver?"  
  
"We got the guy. He's in lock-up right now."  
  
"I'll meet you at the hospital okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Bosco looked at the clock when he heard the door to the bedroom close. "Kim?"  
  
"Yeah. Sorry. I waited till Mrs. Taylor got there. She was upstate visiting Alex's grandma," Kim's voice said softly.  
  
"Did you check on the boys?"  
  
"Yeah they're sleeping."  
  
He heard her get out a T-shirt and shorts to sleep in and then felt her crawl into bed next to him.  
  
"Did Joey ever stop talking?" She asked snuggling up against him.  
  
"When I turned off the light in his room," Bosco grinned when he heard Kim's soft laugh.  
  
"I think he's glad to be home," she said softly.  
  
"I know I'm glad they're both home."  
  
"Mmm.. Me too," she agreed sleepily.  
  
"How's Alex?"  
  
"She'll be okay."  
  
"Good. Night."  
  
"Night," she mumbled. 


	88. Exhausted

"Hey," Kim said to Bosco as she and Alex sat down for dinner. "Doc and Carlos were pulling up just as we were walking in. They'll be here in a sec. Sully and Davis coming?"  
  
"Davis, yes, as soon as he drops off Hancock for dinner somewhere. Sully, no," Bosco said. "Sully's got something going on down at the precinct."  
  
Kim nodded. "Is he okay? He seems a little off lately."  
  
"Sully is a little off."  
  
"Bos," Kim rolled her eyes. "What are you gonna eat?"  
  
"I don't know. You?"  
  
"I'm starving and I'm in the mood for the eggplant parm."  
  
"Good choice," Doc said as he sat down. "I think I'll join you in a plate of that."  
  
"Why Doc, I don't think we'll both fit."  
  
Laughter and groans filled the table.  
  
"How's solo duty treating you Bos?" Alex asked, sipping at her water.  
  
"It's okay. I'll be glad when Faith's back though."  
  
"How's Fred?" Doc asked.  
  
"Going home today," Kim said.  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"I called their apartment this morning to see if they needed anything and Emily told me. Would someone tell me when she grew up? I still see her as that little girl who hid behind Fred most of our wedding reception." Kim smiled.  
  
"Tell me about it," Bosco said. "She grew up when no one was looking."  
  
"I feel sorry for Faith," Alex shook her head. "I remember being a teenage girl."  
  
"Yeah and my mom had two," Kim laughed.  
  
"I think we're lucky we have boys," Bosco said.  
  
"Yeah, real lucky. Boys with your genes and Jimmy's in them. I've got a while before I have to worry about Johnny, hopefully, but with Joey, I just pray he doesn't hit puberty early."  
  
"Well, I'm guessing Jimmy was an early bloomer," Alex teased.  
  
"Stop!" Kim faked panic. "I don't wanna hear this. Please."  
  
Laughter sounded again as the subject changed to what they were gonna order.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim lifted her head when she heard the front door open. "Hi," she said when Bosco appeared near the armchair.  
  
"What are you doing up?"  
  
"Waiting for you," she said simply. "Jimmy called. I think he was afraid you wouldn't get home in time to tell me before I saw the news."  
  
Bosco sighed and nodded. "Boys?"  
  
"They're asleep. I think Joey knew something was wrong but he didn't ask."  
  
"I'm gonna go check on them."  
  
Kim nodded and got up when Bosco went into Johnny's room. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer and a soda out of the fridge. She didn't like to drink this late but she figured Bosco could use a drink. She went back out to the living room and sat down on the couch to wait. She drew up her legs and rested her forearms on her knees.  
  
Bosco came out of Joey's room and joined Kim on the couch. He smiled when he saw the beer. "Thanks," he said putting an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Sure," Kim smiled. "You okay?"  
  
"Not really," Bosco admitted. "Sully and I don't get along. We never have."  
  
"I know," Kim said. "But?"  
  
"But, I can't help but feel bad for him."  
  
"Babe, you work with him every day. You know him and you know what the job takes out of you. You also know what it means to have someone at home to help you not think of that after your tour's over for the day." Kim said quietly and then smiled when Bosco kissed her forehead. "Do you know when the funeral is?"  
  
"Day after tomorrow," he said.  
  
Kim nodded. "Don't think I'll wear the dress uniform. I'll just wear something dark."  
  
"You don't have to go."  
  
"Yeah I do," Kim said. "If the situations were reversed, Sully'd be there."  
  
"Don't even think it," Bosco told her. "But you're right. He would be."  
  
"C'mon, let's go to bed. You look exhausted."  
  
"I feel exhausted." 


	89. Enter Trouble

"Bos, if you're not going to stay overnight here, please just come home. Just for tonight," Kim pleaded with him as he put his shirt on over his burns, trying unsuccessfully to hide the look of discomfort from Kim. He looked over at his mother, connected to a respirator and just shook his head.  
  
"No. I've gotta get this guy. I got a look at him. I can't just let hit go, Kim. People died," he said, as he looked from Kim to the little boy she was holding. "His mother died, Kim." Alex kept silent on the other side of Kim.  
  
"I know, Honey, but you can't save everyone. You almost got killed yourself. And, your Mom needs you. Just give yourself some time to recover from this," she said, trying to reason with him. The nurse told Kim where to bring the little boy to be examined and she left Bosco at the nurse's station saying, "Wait here for a minute." He nodded as he watched Kim put the little boy on the stretcher. He turned around and leaned on the desk of the nurse's station as Jimmy Doherty and Billy Walsh came through the door. Billy had an ice pack on his arm.  
  
"What's keepin' you upright?" Jimmy asked Bosco, taking in his exhausted appearance and reddened skin. Bosco shrugged, too tired to answer.  
  
"What happened?" Bosco asked, noticing Billy.  
  
"Billy took a fall and maybe cracked a bone," Jimmy answered.  
  
"I should have your luck, Bosco," Billy said. Bosco nodded with a slight smile.  
  
Billy was taken off by one of the nurses to get his arm looked at and Jimmy was filling out some paperwork. "I had her, Jimmy. If you hadn't pulled me out..."  
  
"You'd be dead, Bosco," Jimmy finished the sentence.  
  
Kim came back as Bosco finished his conversation with Jimmy, learning that the fire may have been the work of an arsonist. "Hey, Jimmy. What're you doing here?"  
  
"Billy hurt his arm. He's having it looked at," Jimmy answered. "You guys are headed home?"  
  
"Yes," Kim said at the same time that Bosco said, "No." They looked at each other and Jimmy took one look and knew he wasn't about to get into the middle of this. Jimmy casually walked away unnoticed.  
  
"Bosco, please," Kim said, ready to start again.  
  
"Kim. I've gotta do this. I'm fine, really," he said, leaning over to kiss her. The motion caused the fabric of his shirt to rub on his burns, but he did a good job of hiding the discomfort from Kim - or so he thought.  
  
"Be careful," she said, realizing that she wasn't going to win this battle. She handed him a bottle of water she had grabbed from the lounge. "Drink plenty of this."  
  
"I will. I'll call you," he said, looking into his mother's room before heading out the door.  
  
"I'll either be here with your Mom or at home with the kids," she called after him.  
  
"Thanks," he said and then he was gone.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco walked into the hospital room to find his mother sleeping. Kim was sitting in a chair alongside the bed and looked up. Bosco noticed the smoldering look she threw his way. "Uh oh," he thought to himself. "Two women pissed off at me." He walked over and kissed Kim. "How is she?"  
  
"She's better. They took her off the vent. She's pissed at you. She's been asking for you - as have the kids," she said, the anger in her voice. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at the blisters on his neck and ear.  
  
"I'm fine. We got him," he said, getting the icy stare again. "Kim. I had to do this. I just couldn't ignore it - especially not after I met the little boy's father. He was thanking me, Kim. He was thanking me and I let his wife die," Bosco whispered so he didn't wake his mother.  
  
"You didn't let her die, Bos. You almost died trying to save her and then Johnny would be just like that little boy. Did you ever think of that?" Kim asked him and he didn't have an answer. After a moment, Kim said, "Look. I know you 'had' to do it. I know that. But, it doesn't make it any easier. Now, go talk to your mother and then we need to talk. I talked to Faith," she said, getting up and stepping out of the room, leaving Bosco to wonder what that meant.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
They were home in their apartment. They'd gotten the kids settled for the night and Kim was putting some medicated ointment on Bosco's wounds. On the way home he tried to find out what her comment at the hospital meant, but she said she didn't want to get into it until they got home and got the kids settled.  
  
"Does it hurt much?" she asked him, as she tenderly applied the medicine.  
  
"Some. It's not as bad as it was earlier. The medicine helps," he answered her, letting the fatigue finally settle in.  
  
"So, who's this Cruz person?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Ah, and there it is," Bosco thought to himself with a smile. "She's one of the Sergeant's in Anti-Crime. She helped me and Faith find the guy who started the fire. Did I tell you? It was the Fire Investigator's son. He was looking for more attention from his father," he said.  
  
"That's awful. But, do I need to be concerned about this woman?" Kim said, bringing him back to the topic.  
  
"About what?" he asked, turning to look at her.  
  
"Faith said there's something about her she doesn't like. She's worried about you and her."  
  
"Worried about me and her? What does that mean? There's no me and her. There's only me and YOU," he said, amused by Kim's jealousy. "Look, I don't get jealous every time you work with some guy I don't know," he said to her.  
  
"Oh yes you do. But, I don't flirt with MY married partners," Kim said and then got flustered that she fell into that argument. "That's not the point anyway," she said, trying to get back on track. "Faith thinks she's trouble. I want you to be careful around her."  
  
"I can't believe Faith said that," he said, irritated. "She doesn't even know Cruz well enough to think that."  
  
"Women have a sense about these things, Bos. You should know that by now," Kim argued with him.  
  
"Look. I'm tired. Can we talk about this more tomorrow?" he asked her.  
  
"We don't have to talk about it anymore. I just want you to be careful around her. Please," she said, standing up and taking him by the hand. "C'mon. I'll tuck you in." 


	90. Meeting

"Are Faith and Emily okay?" Kim asked as she sat next to Bosco in the restaurant.  
  
"Yeah. But Emily's pretty messed up I think. She wasn't talking a whole lot after everything was over," Bosco said, thinking back to the look on Emily's face. He was worried about her.  
  
"So, how'd you find out that it was her in the bank? I mean, how'd she get word out about the robbery?" Kim asked as the waitress brought their dinners. She watched as Bosco picked at his. "You okay?" she asked him.  
  
"Yeah. It's just- I mean, Faith and Emily came so close to getting hurt or worse today and I wasn't there. I was stuck in the house," he said.  
  
"What d'you mean? Faith wasn't working so how could you have been there?" she asked him.  
  
"I mean I wasn't on the street or I would have been one of the first ones there. Maybe I could have gotten them out before all the shooting. Emily shouldn't have had to see that. No kid should," he said.  
  
"Well, you can't be everywhere for everyone, Bos. So, why weren't you out on the street? What were you doing in the house?"  
  
"Cruz pulled me out of roll call," he started only to be interrupted by Kim.  
  
"Oh, here we go. Why did she pull you out of roll call?" she asked him icily.  
  
"What? Kim. Please. I had to redo the reports from the arsonist arrest last week. She wasn't even there. SHE was out on the street, looking for the bank location," he said.  
  
"Oh. I just don't trust her, Bos," she said, pausing before she continued. "Well then how'd you find out about it?" she asked him again.  
  
"Faith got a call out on her cell phone and left the line open. She dropped a few hints while she was talking to the robbers before they knew she was a cop. I don't know how she kept it together. From what I can tell from listening to the tape, the one guy was all over Emily and Faith got hit trying to get between them and they both almost got shot," he explained.  
  
"How awful! So how'd you get there?" she asked as they both finished up their dinner.  
  
"I was typing and the Boss came up and told me that it was Faith's phone and which bank it was. I don't even remember leaving the house. I just wanted to get there. I got there just as the shooting started. They wanted to know what was going on inside the bank and Faith got them to let in the medics for some old lady that was sick. She knew I'd come in. It was me and Doc," he said starting to laugh. "I was wearing Nieto's uniform. He was stuck in the bus in his underwear," he said laughing out loud and Kim started to laugh too.  
  
"Man, I'd have given anything to see that," she said.  
  
"What? You think he's good looking?" he teased.  
  
"What? NO! Not that. I mean seeing him taking off his clothes and sitting there freezing. Please! You have nothing to worry about with me and Carlos!" she explained.  
  
"Uh huh," he said, looking at her. He wanted to go home and let off some tension - the best way he knew how. Catherine had the boys for the night so it was just Kim and Bosco.  
  
Suddenly, he caught sight of someone walking up behind Kim. He looked up and smiled.  
  
"Hey, Bosco," came the voice from behind Kim. Kim turned to see a woman standing behind her, smiling at Bosco. The first thing she noticed was her dark, empty eyes and a shiver ran down her back as an uneasy feeling came over her.  
  
"Hi," he said, standing up. "Um. Sergeant Cruz, this is my wife, Kim Boscorelli. Kim, this is Sergeant Cruz," he said introducing the two. "You want to sit down?" he offered, before Kim could throw him a look or kick him under the table.  
  
"Um, no. I was just getting some take-out. I don't want to interrupt. I just wanted to say hello and make sure you were doing alright," Cruz said, touching Bosco's arm. "Nice work today. It got pretty hairy in there from what I've heard."  
  
"All in a day's work. I'm fine. Thanks. I'll see you around the house," he said.  
  
"Yeah. Nice meeting you, Kim," she said, never taking her eyes off of Bosco.  
  
"Yeah," Kim said. "Well, I think your order's ready over there," she told her, as Bosco just about choked on his drink.  
  
"Oh yeah. Thanks. See you," Cruz said again before walking away.  
  
"Subtle," Bosco said to Kim after he'd sat back down.  
  
"Yeah. On her part too," she countered.  
  
"What?" Bosco asked, not knowing that he was being flirted with.  
  
"Man. How can you guys be that stupid? She was soooooo hitting on you," Kim said, fluctuating between anger and laughter.  
  
"She was not. She knows I'm married," he said.  
  
"Yeah, like that would stop her. I just get a bad feeling about her. Now I know what Faith was talking about. It's just a bad vibe. She's trouble, Bos. You should stay clear of her," Kim cautioned.  
  
Bosco drained his glass, not wanting to get into a fight about this. "Not you too! You ready? 'Cause I want to head home and check on Faith and Emily," he said quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah. I'm done," she said, still feeling the uneasiness about Sergeant Cruz. 


	91. Paranoia

"Do you think I'm paranoid?" Kim asked Alex as they drove down the streets towards the house after taking a woman in respitory distress to Mercy.  
  
"What?" Alex looked at her.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"I just feel like my brain is working over time with possible scenarios that Cruz can use to get Bosco alone and I'm beginning to feel paranoid."  
  
Alex smiled. "Bosco knows what he's got and he's not gonna go looking for trouble."  
  
"I trust Bosco, I do. I always have. Which considering his rep was kinda dumb in the beginning but I know he'd never fool around on me. I guess it's just some old issues coming out."  
  
"Jimmy."  
  
"Yeah," Kim looked out the window. "They're two separate people, I know that. Jimmy and I basically had to get married. No, I'm wrong. We had to get married if we ever wanted our folks to talk to us again. Bosco was different. We went out for over a year before we started talking about getting married and he's the one that brought it up and I'm rambling. Why don't you stop me when I do that?"  
  
"'Cause sometimes it's good to ramble. Helps get things out of your system."  
  
"I should've rambled when Jimmy and I started going out," Kim rolled her eyes. She blew out a breath.  
  
"Hey. Your marriage to Jimmy and your marriage to Bosco are two separate entities. You and Jimmy got married because you felt you had too because of Joey. You and Bosco got married because you couldn't see spending the rest of your lives without each other."  
  
"I still can't."  
  
Alex nodded. "You married a good guy Kim. Trust in that."  
  
"I do. I just don't trust Sgt. Cruz's motives."  
  
"Oh I wouldn't either. I've seen her. She reminds me of the song from the eighties. Man Eater."  
  
Kim laughed.  
  
"But Bosco? He loves Iyou/I. And then there's the fact that he knows that if he so much as looks at another woman, the entire firehouse will be out looking to kick his ass."  
  
"And there is a threat that will keep any man home at night," Kim said laughing.  
  
"Damn straight."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What are you two still doing here?" Davis asked when he saw Kim and Alex in the ER.  
  
"I'm waiting on Bosco and Alex is waiting for me," Kim explained, grinning. "And she's being very patient about it, too."  
  
The blonde smiled. "How's driving for the big wig going Ty?"  
  
"I don't wanna talk about it," the tall cop said, making a face.  
  
"That well, huh?" Kim said. "What exactly led to this anyway? And is Sully okay? Faith said she sent him home early. She made it sound like we were in grade school."  
  
"Long story. The only reason I'm here is to check on what happened today. I saw the rig driving home and I figured you two were here."  
  
"Bosco's just upstairs telling Miguel and his mom the news. Then we're going back to the house so I change and then we're going home," Kim told him.  
  
"I'm glad he's okay."  
  
"That makes two of us."  
  
"Three," Alex said. "What? I like Bosco."  
  
"Why thank you Alex. Good to know that some of Kimmy's friends like me," Bosco said as he walked up. He slid an arm around Kim's waist and kissed her cheek.  
  
"What do you mean? My friends like you. Okay, fine, D.K. tried to deck you once. It was New Year's Eve and he was drunk. He missed didn't he?"  
  
Alex laughed. "I remember that."  
  
"Me too," Ty said. "And the time Walsh slammed into you on the court during the Camelot Cup."  
  
"That was before they knew we were going together. Now the guys know if they try anything I'll put itching powder in their turnout boots. I did it to Jimmy after that football game before Johnny was born."  
  
"You did not," Bosco shook his head as they walked out to the bus.  
  
"Yes she did. Jimmy didn't stop scratching for two days," Alex said.  
  
The four city workers laughed as they walked out to the bus.  
  
"Bosco?" Ty said before they parted.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Glad you're alright man," Ty shook his hand.  
  
"Thanks Davis."  
  
"You know, I think I'll play chauffer tonight while you clean up in back Kim," Alex said. "Bosco, you can help."  
  
"Sure," Bosco nodded.  
  
Kim and Bosco climbed into the back of the bus and Davis shut the doors behind them. Alex got in and started up the bus. She turned off the lights in back and put the ambulance into drive. She hummed lightly.  
  
"I thought we were supposed to be cleaning up," Bosco said.  
  
"I did that while I was waiting for you," she confessed. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah. I am. I promise."  
  
"Good," Kim nodded. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?"  
  
"An RMP and Faith, if she'll have me."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. I wanna get back into a routine."  
  
"Bos?" Kim looked a little uncertain.  
  
"It's okay Kimmy."  
  
"Okay," Kim smiled. She hugged him. "I love you and I'm glad today didn't have a worse ending."  
  
"I know. I am too. And I love you, too." 


	92. Fighting

"Hey! Everything okay?" Bosco asked as Kim walked through the door. She put her keys on the table and watched as Bosco tried to quiet a whining Johnny by walking with him.  
  
"How long's that been going on?" she asked him, taking the baby from him.  
  
"Pretty much all day according to your Mom. He's got a slight fever and he keeps chewing on everything," he said.  
  
"Including your shirt collar," she said, noticing that his collar was soaked.  
  
"Yuck!" he said, taking off his shirt.  
  
"When did he have Tylenol last?" she asked him, walking over to the refrigerator and taking a teething ring out for him to chew on.  
  
"I didn't know those were in there," Bosco said, looking at his watch. "He's about due. He must be getting like all of his teeth at once."  
  
"This is nothing. You should have been around when Joey was teething. I was ready to rip my hair out," Kim said, trying to get the baby to settle down.  
  
Bosco was watching and noticed Kim getting tenser. "Here, I've got him. Why don't you go get changed and relax a little bit? Then you can tell me what happened that you had to stay late," Bosco said, taking the baby from her. He gave him another dose of Tylenol while Kim looked in on Joey and then went to change into her flannel lounge pants and a t-shirt. Bosco watched her walk back up the hallway with her pink, fluffy slippers on - a gift from Joey at Christmas. Just as she reached the living room, Johnny started crying again. "There, there, Johnny. No one said Mommy was a fashion plate, but she grows on you," he said, ducking from the throw pillow that Kim threw at him, followed by a whispered expletive. "Nice!" Bosco said, laughing. After a few more minutes, Johnny started to calm down and Bosco was able to put him back in his crib. He came back out to the living room and saw Kim flipping through the channels on the television. "So, what happened," he asked as he came to the back of the couch and started to massage her shoulders.  
  
"Carlos got arrested for molesting a patient," she said.  
  
"What?!" Bosco said, letting his hands rest on her shoulders. "What the hell happened? He was riding with you today, wasn't he?"  
  
"Yeah. I have no idea what happened. We had this girl in the park who supposedly fell on a broken bottle and cut her wrist - although I'm not so sure about that story. Anyway, I was driving and Carlos was in the back with her. He says he tried to put a sling on her and accidentally brushed against her breast when he was tucking it under her arm," she said.  
  
"And?" Bosco said.  
  
"And, when we got back to the house, there were these detectives waiting for us. Apparently, the girl claimed that Carlos fondled her. Bosco, they cuffed him right in front of the house and walked him across the street to the precinct," Kim said.  
  
Bosco walked around the couch and sat down next to her, flipping off the television. "Do you think he did it?"  
  
"I don't know. You know there's no love lost between Carlos and me. He's a real jerk and he makes all kinds of stupid comments. I don't think he'd be that stupid, but I'm just not sure," she said, leaning over to put her head against his chest.  
  
"So, where is Carlos now?" he asked her.  
  
"He's in jail as far as I know. Ty said he'd take care of it so I'm assuming that he's gonna find out if he can get bailed out," she said. They sat together in silence for a few minutes, Bosco trying to take it all in and not sure if he should voice the question that was in his mind or not.  
  
Finally, he decided to ask her. "Kim?"  
  
"Mmmm," she responded to him as he stroked her hair.  
  
"Why was Carlos in the back with a female patient by himself?"  
  
"What?" she asked, sitting up with a defensive tone in her voice.  
  
"I mean, I'm not saying that he did it. I don't know, but I'm just trying to figure out why, as Senior medic on that rig, you'd let him in the back, by himself, with a female, under aged patient?" he said.  
  
"Like I knew he was gonna do this?!" she said angrily, standing up and pacing.  
  
"Relax. I'm not saying you did anything wrong. I just know that as a man, I make sure that when we're on a call, Faith handles the one-on-one stuff with that type of call," he explained himself.  
  
"So, this is my fault?!" she said, louder this time.  
  
"Sshhh. You'll wake up the kids. I didn't say that this was your fault. I'm just asking a question, Kim," he said, getting up and walking over to her.  
  
"I can't talk about this anymore tonight. I'm going to bed," she said, walking down the hallway and into the bathroom, leaving Bosco standing in the middle of the room by himself.  
  
"If you keep your mouth shut, maybe she'll let you sleep in the bed tonight," he said to himself. He walked over to check the locks on the door and turn off the TV and lights. By the time he finished brushing his teeth, she was already in bed with the lights out and turned with her back to him.  
  
"Kim," he said, reaching over to put a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged his hand off.  
  
"Goodnight," she said coolly. 


	93. Making Up

Kim raised an eyebrow when she saw Joey on the couch watching TV when she came in after a shift.  
  
"Hi sweetie. What are you doing up?" She took off her coat and shoes and walked over to sit down next to him.  
  
"Bosco got Muppets From Outer Space and he said since it was a Friday I could stay up and watch it," Joey said.  
  
"Okay. Where is Bosco?"  
  
"Johnny was fussing," Joey said the word carefully. "He's been crabby lately."  
  
"Johnny or Bosco?"  
  
"Johnny."  
  
"You were no better at his age sweetie. This almost over?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so."  
  
"Okay, when it is, I want you to go to bed. Dad's taking you to see your grandparents tomorrow, remember?"  
  
"Uh-huh," Joey said, nodding.  
  
"I'll see you in the morning, sweetie. I love you," Kim kissed the top of his head.  
  
"I love you too Mom," Joey smiled.  
  
Kim got up and went to the doorway of Johnny's room. She smiled when she saw Bosco sitting in the rocking chair with Johnny on his chest. Both were fast asleep. She crossed the room and carefully lifted Johnny from Bosco's arms and then tucked the little boy into bed.  
  
She looked back at Bosco and sighed. She'd been a bit of a bitch lately. She wasn't mad at Bosco and she wasn't mad at Doc. It was a reasonable question. It was probably something the guys downtown would be asking when she went in to give a statement about this whole thing.  
  
She crossed back over to him and kissed him gently.  
  
"I'm sorry. You'll have to leave. My wife will be home soon," he mumbled sleepily.  
  
"I tied her up and stuck her in the closet."  
  
"Kinky."  
  
"Yeah. I thought we'd take her out and make her watch once Joey falls asleep."  
  
Bosco laughed. His eyes opened and the focused on her. "You been home long?"  
  
"Twenty minutes. Joey just went to bed. I heard him when I put Johnny down. Thanks for getting the movie."  
  
"Sure," he nodded.  
  
"Wanna go to bed?"  
  
Bosco studied her face. "In a bit. I think we should talk first."  
  
"Yeah," Kim nodded. "I wanted to apologize."  
  
"Hold that thought. Let's go in our room," Bosco got up and he and Kim went to their bedroom. Bosco shut the door and watched Kim change into some pajamas. She turned around and caught his staring.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What happened today?"  
  
"What makes you think something happened today?"  
  
"Your eyes. They have that look they get when something's bothering you."  
  
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you sound like Jimmy a couple weeks ago."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You remember when we were on the phone talking about Reyes?"  
  
"Yeah sure."  
  
"Well later that day he said he remembers what my eyes look like when I'm jealous."  
  
"You were jealous?" Bosco smiled.  
  
"No, not of Reyes. Cruz I have a problem with but Reyes didn't even register."  
  
Bosco grinned. "You have nothing to worry about on either front, you know?"  
  
Kim nodded. "Yeah. According to Jimmy, you're ass backwards in love with me."  
  
"I gotta hand it to Jimmy. He may be a little slow on the uptake sometimes but then he just hits the nail on the head."  
  
Kim giggled.  
  
"So, what happened today?"  
  
"That question you asked me the other day? Doc asked me the same thing today. I kinda flew off the handle a little and said something I shouldn't have. Carlos heard me."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Yeah," Kim nodded as she sat down on their bed with him. "None of the guys at the house believe that he didn't do it and that was made pretty clear today. Then there was the part where he called me a crazy bitch."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"He apologized later. Right after he told Doc he was quitting."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know he has a daughter right?"  
  
"Yeah," Bosco nodded.  
  
"He doesn't want to take the chance that he won't be allowed to see her anymore."  
  
"Oh man. So he's quitting?"  
  
"Yeah," Kim nodded. She sighed. "But the day wasn't a total bust."  
  
"Why? What happened?"  
  
Kim giggled. "Jimmy's face and some guy's body are being used in an advertisement."  
  
"What kind of advertisement?"  
  
"It's for impotency cream," she got out before she started to giggle again.  
  
"Oh my God," Bosco laughed.  
  
"Oh it gets better. Jimmy was trying to defend himself, you know saying how he'd never have any use for something like that. I was in the room at the time so he said for the guys to ask me."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And Walsh brought up the fact that I'd 'gone over to the other side' since I married a cop."  
  
"Then what happened?"  
  
"D.K. asked if there was anything a cop had that a fireman was missing."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I said that firemen had their good points but that cops came with their own handcuffs," Kim batted her eyes innocently.  
  
"You did not."  
  
"Oh but I did. Got a 'Yeah girl!' from Alex."  
  
"She knows what you're talking about."  
  
"Yep." Kim looked over at him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up at you the way I did. It was a reasonable question and I should've just answered it. But the truth is I don't know why I left Carlos in back with her."  
  
"It's okay," Bosco said, pulling her into his arms. "I just hope this turns out okay for him. He's an ass sometimes but he's good at what he does."  
  
"Yeah he is," she agreed quietly. "Can we go to bed now?" she asked looking up at him.  
  
"Yeah I am kinda tired," he said grinning.  
  
"Liar." 


	94. Dashing Through The Snow

"That was quite the wake-up call, Mrs. Boscorelli," Bosco said, out of breath, as Kim snuggled alongside him.  
  
"Why thank you, Mr. Boscorelli. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself," she replied breathlessly.  
  
"I think the children should go to their grandmother's house more often," Bosco said, receiving a poke in the ribs.  
  
He turned quickly and started to tickle Kim, making her beg him to stop. He stopped and leaned over to kiss her and they began exploring each other again. The phone began to ring and Kim reached out for it.  
  
"Don't answer that," he said, grabbing her arm.  
  
"But..." she started only to be interrupted when he put a finger to her lips.  
  
"Let the machine get it. If it's about the kids, we'll hear the message," he said, removing his finger and replacing his lips against hers.  
  
As they enjoyed each other, they listened to the message being left on the machine. "Kim, it's Doc. I need you to come in early because of the storm. Bosco'll probably be getting a call too. Please call me when you get this message. Thanks."  
  
They both stopped and looked out the window to see if it was snowing. "What's he talking about?" Bosco asked as his cell phone rang.  
  
"Aren't you going to answer?" Kim asked him.  
  
"No," he said, giving her the "do you think I'm crazy" look. "It's gotta be work."  
  
"Now, where were we?" he asked, picking up where he left off. "What're you doing?" he asked, feeling her move around under him.  
  
"I'm trying to reach the remote to see about this storm," she said, her hand landing on the remote and pushing the button as he let out a heavy, irritated sigh.  
  
Both phones rang again as they listened to the news report about the approaching storm. Kim listened to the newest message from Doc and Bosco refused to answer his phone as they finished their lovemaking.  
  
"We better start getting ready for work," Kim said a little while later. She got up and walked across the room to get some clothes out of the closet. Bosco watched her move across the room, uninhibited by the fact that she wasn't wearing any clothes. "I'm gonna go take a shower," she said, taking a towel and walking into the bathroom.  
  
Bosco let out a low groan at the sight of her and got out of bed to follow her.  
  
She was startled as Bosco climbed into the shower with her. "What's gotten into you today?" she asked as she started to respond to his touch.  
  
"Complaining?" he asked, letting the warm water flow over them.  
  
"Yeah. That we don't do this every day," she said as he covered her mouth with his own.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey you," Bosco said as he answered his cell phone.  
  
"Hey yourself. How's Emily?" Kim asked him.  
  
"She's in a coma. We don't know anything yet," Bosco said. Kim could hear the sadness in his voice.  
  
"How's Faith doing?"  
  
"Not good. She was okay when we first found her, but as soon as we got to the ER she lost it," he told her.  
  
"Do you have any idea where she got the stuff from?" Kim asked.  
  
"Not yet. That Eric kid lawyered-up as soon as his father found out about Emily," Bosco told her.  
  
"She's lucky you guys found her," she said to him.  
  
"Yeah, and she's lucky that Doc and Carlos were there when we did," Bosco said. "By the way, what's Carlos doing back on the street? Is that all settled?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't think he was supposed to be working with patients because the Captain called Doc into his office as soon as they got back," she said as Alex walked into the room.  
  
"Did you tell him about the fingers?" Alex said loudly so that Bosco could hear.  
  
"Excuse me?" Bosco said in response when Kim laughed.  
  
"We had this guy that stuck his hand in to clear his snow thrower," Kim explained. "He lost three fingers and I had to dig around in the snow to find them."  
  
"Gross! Did you find them all?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes I did. They were able to reattach them because they were preserved in the cold snow. He'll be counting on all 20 fingers and toes in no time," she said.  
  
"That's my girl," Bosco said to her affectionately.  
  
"So, did you finally get enough?" she whispered into the phone so Alex didn't overhear her.  
  
"Of wha. Oh, that. Never," he said and Kim could hear the smile in his voice. "I can't believe we're stuck here though, sleeping on these cots."  
  
"Suck it up, Toughman," she teased him.  
  
"You can say that. You have a regular bed to sleep on," he said in his defense.  
  
"There's always room for you," she said.  
  
"Don't tempt me. Maybe I'll sneak over during the night," he warned her.  
  
"Just make sure you climb into the right bed or it could get ugly," she said, making him laugh.  
  
"So, what're you doing?" he asked her.  
  
"Just sitting here watching the snow fall. It's so pretty as long as we don't have to drive around in it. I talked to my Mom and the kids are having a blast. We missed Johnny's first snowfall though," she said sadly.  
  
"Your Mom took pictures, right?" he asked, hoping she did.  
  
"Of course," she said as the bell went off signaling Kim that they had another call. "Gotta run," she said, standing up.  
  
"Okay. Be careful. I love you," he told her.  
  
"Love you too," she said, hanging up the phone.  
  
Bosco watched out the window as the ambulance pulled out and headed down the road. 


	95. Worry

"Faith?" Kim poked her head into Emily's room. "Hey, can I come in?"  
  
"Sure Kim," Fred answered as he rose. "How are you?"  
  
"Forget me. How are you?" She asked, handing him a bag. "It's some biscuit sandwiches. I got them at the deli near the house. I figured you two were probably living on coffee."  
  
"Pretty much. Thanks Kim."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You just missed Bosco."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, he got up early and headed into work. I told Joey that Em was sick and he drew her a picture," she handed it to Fred. "It's supposed to be from the summer before Johnny was born when he and Bosco tried to learn how to surf," she explained.  
  
"Thanks," Fred smiled.  
  
"I better go. I promised Doc I'd be in early. Call if you need anything okay?"  
  
"We will," Fred promised.  
  
"Bye Faith," Kim said before leaving.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He was working with Cruz.  
  
Again.  
  
Kim put the pediatric catheters away and slammed the drawer shut.  
  
"Hey Kim?"  
  
"What?" she snapped.  
  
"Whoa!" Jimmy backed away a little. "We not loving our job today?"  
  
"We are not loving anything today Jimmy."  
  
"You wanna talk about it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
Kim looked over at him and sighed. She leaned back against the wall of the rig. "It's so foreign to us."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"The idea that someone doesn't want our help. It's what we do. We help people. We get them to a hospital, we pull them out of fires, or we try and make the streets safer by arresting people."  
  
"What's going on Kim?"  
  
"Doc and I had an O.D. today. It was Cruz's sister."  
  
"Sgt. Cruz?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh man."  
  
"She made it disappear. She didn't want her sister going to jail. Now she and Bosco are out there doing God knows what to make the person who sold her sister drugs pay."  
  
"And?"  
  
She looked over at him. "Did you ever memorize a look in a person's eyes so you'd know it if it ever came again?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Why?"  
  
"I only have two looks memorized. It wasn't intentional, it was purely by accident. But I saw them both again today. The last time was when Bobby died. Cruz's sister had the same look in her eyes that Paulie had in his the last day I saw him. She doesn't care. She doesn't want help. She is perfectly happy slowly killing herself with whatever happens to be available. And she doesn't care if she has to beg, borrow, or steal from her family and friends to get it."  
  
"And Cruz?"  
  
"Combination. She's got the look Bobby's eyes had but she's got Gina's denial."  
  
"Gina?"  
  
"Paulie's little sister and the reason Bobby was anywhere near that awful apartment." She sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if Bobby would've been so bound and determined to help him if Matty hadn't screwed up."  
  
"Putting aside the look and the denial for just a sec, Bobby loved Paulie right?"  
  
"Sure. They were best friends. Bobby still thought of him like that. He probably thought of him like that even after Paulie shot him."  
  
"Well, I seem to remember someone telling me once that if Bobby loved someone that they were his family."  
  
"And there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them. Yeah I remember."  
  
"Now the look?"  
  
"She's on a mission. She'll roll over anyone who gets in her way. She's also got that denial thing Gina was so fond of. The last thing she said to Sully and Ty the day they went to look for Paulie was for them not to hurt him because he was sick."  
  
"Some people look at it like that. Keeps them from recognizing what's really going on."  
  
"Her brother was a junkie who blew his best friend away. Not exactly the best way of looking at things but at least it's the truth."  
  
"Bottom line Kim?"  
  
"Bottom line is that I'm terrified that she's gonna get herself killed and take Bosco along for the ride."  
  
The speakers crackled to life calling for the squad and the ladder company and the ambulances. The previously quiet station was now abuzz with activity and everyone sprung into action. 


	96. Auto Pilot

"I think they're in there, Lieu," Davis said as he ran over to the car where Lieutenant Swersky was managing the police end of things.  
  
"What?" the Lieutenant said. "Inside?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"I think so, Lieu," Davis said. Jimmy yelled over to Davis to get the block cleared.  
  
"Lieu's working on that now, but I think Cruz and Bosco are in there," Davis said as he went back over toward Jimmy.  
  
"You're sure?" Jimmy asked him as he half walked-half ran over to Captain Anderson. "Hey, Cap!" Jimmy said as the Captain was giving orders to fight the fire from the exterior. "We got people inside. Cops," he told him.  
  
"What?" the Captain said, looking at the fire scene ahead of him - the large volume of flame visible.  
  
"We can get a ladder to the second floor and go in that way," Alex suggested.  
  
"Do it, but be careful. I don't like the color of that smoke," the Captain ordered as the firefighters jumped to action.  
  
Just as the ladder was raised to the second floor and Jimmy was ready to ascend, there was a loud explosion and flames shot from the first floor windows, knocking Jimmy to the ground. Adam 55-3 pulled up on the scene at the same time as the explosion.  
  
"Whoa!" Kim yelled as she and Doc jumped out of the rig and got their equipment ready in the event that anyone received injuries. Captain Anderson, Billy Walsh and Alex all walked Jimmy over the ambulance to have him checked out.  
  
"I'm okay, Lieu. We've gotta get them out of." he said, finally realizing that Kim was standing there.  
  
"Who's in there?" Doc asked, assuming that it was either the homeowners or some firefighters.  
  
Jimmy, Alex and Billy just looked at Doc and Kim, not wanting to be the one to let Kim know that Bosco was trapped inside the raging inferno in front of them.  
  
Davis walked toward the group, not realizing that Kim was standing there. "Bosco! Bosco! Where are you?" he was practically yelling into his radio.  
  
Before anyone realized it, Kim was headed toward the house and Jimmy ran after her, grabbing her around the waist. "Kim! You can't go in there! We'll get him out. I'LL get him out," he said as Kim fought against him.  
  
Doc and Davis came up behind Jimmy and Kim. Doc took hold of Kim while Jimmy and the rest tried again to make entry into the building.  
  
Almost magically, Kim stopped pulling against Doc and just stood calmly. The two medics walked back to the bus to get their stretcher and equipment. Doc kept glancing at Kim and saw a vacant look in her eyes. Her movements were robot-like - almost like she was running on automatic pilot.  
  
"Kim?" Doc said, but received no answer as Kim put on gloves and got the burn dressings, IV solutions and oxygen readied.  
  
Davis was walking around the building, trying to raise Bosco on the radio when suddenly he heard, "Davis? We're in here! We're down in the basement! We're in the basement!"  
  
"Bosco! Hang on. I hear you. We're coming to get you. Just stay there!" Davis yelled into the radio. He turned to the Captain and firefighters. "They're in the basement. Bosco's on the radio. They're trapped in the basement."  
  
Jimmy looked at the bars on the basement windows and Walsh and DK went to the rig to get the cutter to cut through the bars.  
  
"We've got two other people in here. We've got one unconscious and one woman in labor," Bosco reported, hoping that he could still be heard.  
  
"In labor?" Davis replied into the radio.  
  
"Yeah. In labor," Bosco confirmed.  
  
Just as Jimmy and DK were ready to cut through the bars on the front basement window, Davis heard a crashing sound on the side of the house. He looked over to see wood splinters being pushed through the bars on the side basement windows and then heard Bosco yelling that that's where they were.  
  
"Guys! Over here," Ty yelled and they all ran to the side of the building. Kim just stood alongside Doc, not moving and waiting, a blank stare on her face.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim couldn't believe it. Bosco was inside that building. That burning, exploding building. She overheard Davis telling Jimmy that Bosco and Cruz were in the building. This was all Cruz's fault. "Damn you, Bosco, for not listening to me about this!" she thought to herself.  
  
Suddenly, she had switched to an automatic mode. Her mind seemed to only be able to focus on her job, although thoughts of Bosco kept seeping in. Her mind, however, seemed to be working on it's own - pushing away thoughts of Bosco and what could be happening to him - making her focus on the automatic aspects of her job - the protocols for treating the various injuries that could result from a call like this.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim found herself next to Doc, Jimmy, DK and Billy, pulling the pregnant woman from the building. All she could hear were the woman's screams from the contractions. They got her on the stretcher and Kim went about the task of assessing the patient and treating her injuries, preparing for the possible delivery of her baby on the way to the hospital.  
  
Later, she would remember noticing that Bosco was walking around after everyone was out of the building and appeared to be okay, but right now her mind would not let her process that information. Doc and Kim transported the woman in labor to the hospital and Bosco rode in with Cruz and her sister in the other rig that had responded to the scene.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim was sitting in the lounge completing the paperwork from the call when Bosco walked in, covered in soot and some minor cuts and abrasions.  
  
"Hey," he said, quietly.  
  
Kim stood up and started to walk out of the room as Bosco reached out for her arm. "Hey," he said again.  
  
Kim did not make eye contact with him, saying, "I've gotta go downtown and give a statement about Carlos' case."  
  
"Right now?" he asked her as Doc walked in.  
  
"Yeah. Doc, let's head over to give my statement," she said to the senior medic. Doc looked at both Bosco and Kim, noticing the tension.  
  
"We can do that later, Kim. Why don't you take a few.." Doc started.  
  
"No. I'm ready now. Let's go," she said, pulling free of Bosco and walking out of the lounge, leaving Doc and Bosco looking at each other.  
  
"Doc?" Bosco questioned.  
  
Doc shrugged his shoulders, grabbed his clipboard and headed out. 


	97. Open Hostility

Bosco walked into the firehouse and spotted Lombardo and Walsh in the back playing one-on-one.  
  
"Hey guys."  
  
Joe Lombardo looked over. "Hey, heads up!" He tossed the ball over to Bosco.  
  
Bosco grinned and sunk it.  
  
"Whoa! Looks like the Camelot Cup might be a little harder to bring home this year," Billy Walsh smiled.  
  
"Thanks. Kimmy upstairs?"  
  
"No, Doc shook her loose a little early. She left ten minutes ago," Lombardo said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"She's didn't go across the street and tell you?"  
  
"No, she didn't. She's probably taking the train. See you guys later."  
  
"Bye," the firefighters called as they resumed their game and Bosco headed out of the firehouse.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Kim stopped in mid-step when she saw who was waiting outside her building.  
  
"Can I help you?" she asked as she resumed her walking.  
  
Maritza Cruz turned around.  
  
"It's Kim, right?"  
  
"That's right," she stopped a few feet away. "Is there something I can do for you?"  
  
"I just wanted to thank Bosco for all he did today."  
  
"He's not home yet. You're welcome to wait here for him. You'll forgive me for not inviting you in but I'm not in the mood for company," she said brushing past her and going up the steps.  
  
"Open hostility. That's new."  
  
"What?" Kim turned around.  
  
"Everyone else has been falling all over themselves to tell me how sorry they are about my sister," Maritza said.  
  
"Please accept my condolences as well Sgt. Cruz," Kim said calmly. "I can only imagine how you must feel. I have a younger sister and I can't even think of loosing her the way you lost yours."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Good night," Kim said as she started to turn back around.  
  
"Did I do something to piss you off or something?" Maritza asked.  
  
Kim took a deep breath and counted to ten before she looked back at Sgt. Cruz.  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Just a vibe I'm getting. I think I've seen cops act friendlier towards a perp."  
  
"Look, I realize you've had a long day and it's been pretty awful besides, but I've had a long day too and a heart-to-heart isn't exactly what I had in mind for things I wanted to do once I got home, so if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go inside and relax." Kim had to get out of there. Any longer with this woman and she'd end up taking a swing at her.  
  
"Who said anything about a heart-to-heart? I'd just like to know what I did to get you so pissed off."  
  
"You nearly got my husband killed, that's what you did." Kim had just reached the end of her patience. "You and your holy mission to save your sister nearly killed you, a pregnant woman and her baby, and Bosco. Your vibe was correct. I am pissed off. I think what you did today was reckless and stupid and if I had the power your ass would be yanked off the streets and put behind a desk indefinitely. You were on a mission today and missions never end well when the person is so damned determined to see things turn out the way they want it to that they ignore everything else."  
  
"What do you know about it?"  
  
"Bobby Caffey. He went on a mission of his own to save a friend of his who'd gotten in trouble with drugs. His name was Paulie Fuentes. See if Bobby loved you, you were his family and there isn't anything he wouldn't do for you. Only Paulie didn't want help. He was perfectly happy slowly killing himself with whatever he could get his hands on. Bobby couldn't accept that because he didn't want to see Paulie end up dead from an overdose. He took him in one night and Paulie stole from Bobby and Bobby's mother. Bobby got pissed and went after him. Paulie had already sold the stuff he'd stolen and used it to score. So Bobby took the drugs and put them in the toilet. Paulie didn't like that and he pulled a gun. He asked Bobby to give his stuff back but Bobby was stubborn so Paulie shot him. As Bobby lay there bleeding to death Paulie moved his leg off the toilet so he could get his drugs back. Then he put a gun to the back of my head and forced me down the hall so he could get a needle before he ran out. So, you see, Sgt. Cruz, I know about missions and the kind you were on today get people killed." Kim didn't wait for a response; instead she turned around and went inside, shutting the door behind her. 


	98. Breaking Through

Bosco pulled his car to the curb. The whole way home he'd thought about what had happened back at the hospital. "Why would she just walk out like that? She didn't even ask if I was okay," he thought to himself on the way.  
  
He got out of the car and locked it, turning to walk to his building. He saw her sitting on his steps, staring straight ahead. He didn't know what to say to her. "What do you say to someone that just lost their sister in an explosion at a drug lab while trying to snort drugs off the counter?"  
  
She didn't even seem to notice him approaching. He stopped in front of her, one foot on the bottom step and one hand on the railing. "Sergeant?" he said to her. No response.  
  
"Sergeant Cruz? Are you okay?" he asked a little louder.  
  
"Boscorelli. Hi," she said, finally realizing he was there.  
  
"What're you doing here, Sarge?" he asked her. "Are you okay?"  
  
She shook her head. "I couldn't save her," she said, looking up at him with eyes that said she was lost. "She couldn't beat it. She tried and tried and tried, but she just couldn't beat it." Bosco just nodded. After a moment, he sat down on the step beside her, sensing that she just needed to be with someone. He really wanted to get inside and check on Kim, but he knew that Cruz was messed up from this.  
  
She pulled a picture from her pocket. It was a picture of her and her sister- who didn't look bad when she was straight. "This was taken three years ago. That's all it took. Three years to eat her up," she said.  
  
"I'm sorry about your sister," Bosco said. She leaned closer to him.  
  
"It wasn't her that saved me in the fire. It wasn't her that pulled me away from the explosion, was it?" she said, looking at him closely. "It was you. You saved me."  
  
And suddenly, she leaned in and kissed him. He tried to pull away, but she held onto him and tried to deepen the kiss. Finally he was able to break away and pushed her away from him, holding her away by both arms.  
  
"Sergeant. No. I can't do this. I WON'T do this. Now, I understand that you're upset and maybe even a little lost right now, but I'm married. To a wonderful woman, and I'd never do anything to mess that up," he said to her.  
  
"C'mon, Boscorelli. She already hates me," Cruz said nastily. "Why not give her a reason. I've heard about your reputation around the station. The Big Romeo. A different woman every night," she said before he cut her off.  
  
"No. That WAS me. But, not anymore. I've found a woman that I love more than life itself. I have a beautiful son that came from that love and a great stepson that I consider a son. She gave me a family and I won't throw that away," he said, standing up. "Now, I think that you should go. Is there someone I can call for you, or someone YOU want to call?" he asked, extending his cell phone to her.  
  
"After all we've been through together? Miguel and now this? How can you just dismiss me like that?" she said with anger.  
  
"No. Kim tried to tell me and so did Faith, but I didn't want to see it. You're dangerous and you're on the edge. There was a time when I would've loved that, but I've come too far and I can't - I won't go back down that road," he said, turning and walking up the stairs and into the house.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim had walked into the apartment after her confrontation with Cruz and been sitting on the couch, reliving the scene at the fire today. Finally, her emotions caught up with her and she felt herself start shaking. She came close to losing him today and she couldn't have survived losing someone else she loved. She was suddenly cold - so cold. And, dammit - she couldn't stop crying. She walked down the hallway and turned on the shower as hot as she could stand it, hoping that the water would warm her and take the tension from her body.  
  
She didn't hear Bosco come into the apartment and call for her.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Kim?" Bosco called as he came through the door, closing it behind him. He laid his keys on the table by the door, dropped his soot-covered jacket on the floor. He heard the shower running and decided to let her finish her shower. He walked over to the window and watched as Sergeant Cruz walked down the street. "I hope she's okay," he said to himself, wondering if he should call the Lieutenant and tell him how messed up she was.  
  
He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He was so thirsty. He couldn't stand the smell of himself - couldn't get the smell of smoke out of his nose. He sat on the couch waiting for Kim to finish in the bathroom, thinking about the woman from the fire that had the baby. He laughed as he remembered her asking him what his name was and then the face she made when she found out it was Maurice. "Oh well," he thought. "Louis won't be too bad for the kid."  
  
Finally, he realized that Kim was still in the shower. He began to worry as he thought about how she had acted at the fire and at the hospital afterward. He remembered the look on Doc's face and knew that he was worried about her as well. He set his beer down and walked down the hallway.  
  
He called to her through the door and got no answer. He tried the door and it was unlocked. He opened the door and walked in. The shower curtain was pulled across, but there was hardly any steam for the shower having run that long.  
  
"Kim?" he called to her again with no answer. He heard a whimper at the same time he pulled the shower curtain back and was shocked to see her sitting under the shower, which was now running cold - the hot water used up. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and stared straight ahead.  
  
"Kim!" he said louder this time, as he reached up and turned the shower off. He reached over and grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her, feeling her body shaking beneath it as he helped her to stand up.  
  
He walked her out of the bathroom and to the bedroom, sitting her on the bed and pulling the comforter from the bed around her as well. "Kim! What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong," he pleaded.  
  
Finally, Kim looked at him and the tears started to fall again. He embraced her, still feeling her body tremble, but this time he knew it wasn't from being cold. This was a purely emotional response to something.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you today. Damn it, Bosco! I told you she was trouble. And you followed her right into that house and you almost got killed!" she said, striking out at him with her fists, striking him in the arms and chest. "I told you! I told you!" she yelled louder.  
  
He let her hit him, holding her tighter. "Kim. I'm sorry. I had to follow her. I had to follow my partner-" he started to say, but Kim interrupted him.  
  
"NO! She's NOT your partner! FAITH is your partner! And she never would have led you into a situation like that. Just like you never would have led her into a situation like that! Damn it, Bosco! We both tried to tell you. I can't lose someone else. It would kill me to lose you! Don't you understand that?!" she said, collapsing into him with sobs. 


	99. Promises Made

It was quiet. Kim sat on their bed brushing her hair when Bosco re-entered their room. He'd gone to make sure Joey and Johnny were still sleeping after Kim had stopped crying. Her back was to him and he knelt on the bed behind her as he took the brush from her and continued to brush her hair himself. After a few moments he stopped and laid the brush aside. He kissed the back of her head and put his arms around her.  
  
Kim didn't say anything but she didn't fight the embrace either. She cautiously laid her head back against his shoulder. Her breathing was calm and her eyes were closed.  
  
Bosco laid them both down and keeping his arm around her waist he began to speak.  
  
"I know that losing Bobby tore you up inside. I know that there are things about that night that are never going to completely go away. I also know that watching someone die leaves scars Kimmy. We've both got them. Please believe me when I say that I never want to give you another one. And I know it's not just your scars you're worried about. You worry about Joey and Johnny. I know Joey's the reason you beg Jimmy to be careful. We both know what it is to grow up without a real father in our lives. I don't want that for the boys anymore then you do."  
  
"I know," Kim said quietly. "I know that what you do is important to you. I knew that going in. I also know the odds."  
  
"Shh. I wasn't done yet."  
  
"Oh," Kim sniffled.  
  
"You and boys are the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning. You're the last thing I think about when I fall asleep at night. I pray every day that I'm here to see them grow up. I want to watch them graduate high school and the academy."  
  
"Hold it there, buddy," Kim protested, jokingly. "My boys may not want to follow in their fathers' footsteps."  
  
"College, barber school, whatever they want to do, I want to watch them do it. I wanna be there to hold your hand the days they get married." He touched her hair, "I want to watch your hair turn gray."  
  
"And I want to watch you lose yours," she teased as she turned to face him. "I want everything you just said to happen to Bosco. I don't want to live my life without you."  
  
"I don't want to live my life without you. The first time I knew I loved you I thought I was losing you and that scared me more then anything ever had. I think that was when I knew I wanted you for the rest of my life."  
  
"So I'm the one you want to go through time with, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, exactly."  
  
"Then will you please be careful and don't just blindly follow someone cause they happen to be a superior officer?"  
  
"I promise," Bosco said kissing her forehead. "I will not follow anyone ever again unless I know the situation."  
  
"And will you listen to Faith and me next time we tell you that someone can't be trusted?"  
  
"Yes," he nodded.  
  
"Good. Now, can you just be kissing me?"  
  
"I think I can manage that," he smiled.  
  
"Good." 


	100. Reamed

Bosco walked into the locker room to change into his uniform. He felt the stare of Sergeant Cruz from upstairs, but didn't look up. He couldn't believe she was at work not even a full day after her sister had died in a fire. He got the impression that there wasn't any family besides her sister, so shouldn't she be making arrangements and taking care of her sister's affairs? He had to admit that he just couldn't figure her out - and he was pretty sure he didn't want to.  
  
The door opened and Faith rushed into the locker room. She stopped short when she saw him getting changed and then continued past to her locker. He looked over at her. "Hey," he said like he usually did. "Better get a move-on. Sounds like Christopher's on the war path again."  
  
"Uh huh," she said softly, not looking at him as she went about getting changed.  
  
"That's not like her," he thought to himself. "She's usually all chatty when she comes in. Maybe it's 'cause of Emily. I really should have called her last night, but I wanted to give them some time."  
  
"Everything okay?" he asked, as he ran his belt through the loops on his pants.  
  
"Yeah. Fine," she said curtly.  
  
"How's Em?"  
  
"She's good. She's going to go back to school on Monday."  
  
Bosco nodded and after a moment said, "So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or are we going to speak in one sentence conversations all day?" Bosco asked finally, slamming his locker shut in frustration.  
  
"What's wrong?" she said, finally looking up at him. "What's wrong?!"  
  
"Uh oh," he thought out loud.  
  
"Yeah. Uh oh," she said, slamming her locker shut as she finished dressing. "What the hell did you think you were doing?!" she practically yelled at him.  
  
He knew it was coming - sooner or later. Secretly, he was hoping for later - much later, or better yet, not at all. "Faith," he started.  
  
"No. Don't "Faith" me and give me that I'm sorry look. It's not going to work this time. You almost got yourself killed! I can't believe you just followed her in there like that!"  
  
"I would have done the same if it had been you," he said, honestly.  
  
"No. That's where you're wrong, Bosco. Because I never would have led you into that situation in the first place. I tried to warn you. I told you there was something about her that I didn't trust. She doesn't care about procedures. She doesn't care about anyone else but herself or the result of anything except how it affects her. She's everything you used to be, only worse. I have to admit that I've seen a little of the old Bosco peeking through and I'm sure I don't like it," she ranted.  
  
"Are you sure that if it was Emily you wouldn't have charged in that house after her without thinking about the consequences? And, do you think that I wouldn't follow you in?" he said realizing by the look on her face that he'd hit a raw nerve.  
  
"That's not fair, Bos," she said, her eyes getting watery. "And yeah, I'd like to think that if, God forbid, I was in the same situation that I'd have the sense to wait for back-up and think about the bigger picture. Or that you'd speak up and MAKE me think about it."  
  
"I'm sorry. I was out of line. I know that I screwed up. I know that now. I went through all this with Kim last night. It won't happen again," he said and they were both silent. "So, how IS Emily?" he asked her again.  
  
"She's okay. We had a long talk last night. She got quite a scare. I don't think she'll ever try anything like that again. At least, she promised me she wouldn't and that we'd talk about anything and everything. We have a lot of catching up to do," Faith said.  
  
"Wait. She tried it on her own?" Bosco said in surprise.  
  
"Yes. And she noticed the look on your face in the hospital when we were going home. It upset her," she said.  
  
"Good. I love your kids like I was their uncle or somethin'," he said. "I won't deny that I was disappointed. I never would have expected something like this from her."  
  
"Well, you should really make an attempt to talk to her. She thinks you hate her," Faith said.  
  
"I will. Soon," he said as Davis stuck his head into the locker room.  
  
"Um. Christopher is about to blow a gasket," Ty warned. "The only thing that's saving you is that Faith's yelling at you," he added with a grin. "Don't worry, we couldn't hear what it was about, just that you were catching hell, Bos."  
  
"Thanks, Ty," Bosco said as the two partners followed each other out. Faith happened to look up and noticed Cruz standing at the top of the stairs watching Bosco. 


	101. Confessions

"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure," Faith said. "What's up?"  
  
"Say someone made a pass at you. Would you tell Fred?"  
  
"Does Fred like this person?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Well, yeah. I mean if this person was a friend of Fred's, although come to think of it, no friend would come on to a friend's wife so forget that."  
  
"Well just to answer the question, no. Fred hates this person. Most of the people in your life hate this person and with good reason as you're recently finding out."  
  
"What happened Bosco?"  
  
"Cruz made a pass at me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She made a pass at me."  
  
"Define please."  
  
"She kissed me."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Yesterday after I got home. We were sitting on the front steps and she kissed me. I pushed her away and told her I wasn't interested. That I had a good life and a family I loved."  
  
"Did you tell Kim?" Faith asked.  
  
"No. I probably should but part of Cruz's reasoning to get me to see things her way was that Kim already hates her so why not give her a better reason?"  
  
"You have to tell Kim."  
  
"Why? I don't want to start something that's just gonna hurt her."  
  
"It didn't mean anything, right?"  
  
"Not a damn thing."  
  
"Then tell her before Cruz does. Cause she'll twist it around."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"I know so."  
  
"Okay, " Bosco nodded.  
  
"No time like the present."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, unless I'm mistaken, that's Adam-55-3 over there," Faith pointed.  
  
"So it is. Okay," Bosco pulled over. "I'll be back in a few."  
  
"Good luck." Seeing he was about to speak, "I know, you don't believe in luck."  
  
"I was going to say thank you," Bosco said as he got out of the car.  
  
"Oh. Well, then, you're welcome."  
  
Bosco closed the door and walked over to the passenger side of the ambulance. "Hey baby."  
  
Kim started a little, "You scared me. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Sorry. We were driving around and I saw the bus so we stopped. Kim, I got something I need to tell you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Last night before I came inside, I saw Sgt. Cruz on the front steps."  
  
"Yeah I know. I left her there after we had some words."  
  
"Right. Anyway we were talking and she leaned in close and she kissed me. I mean she really kissed me."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Kim, please believe that I didn't want her to kiss me. I pushed her away and told her I wasn't interested. If you never-"  
  
"I believe you," she interrupted.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, I do. I trust you. I trust that you love me and that you still want to be in our marriage."  
  
"I do."  
  
"I know." Kim reached her hand out and traced her fingers along his cheek. "I love you."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"But Bosco?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"If she ever touches you again, I'll rip off her arm and beat her to death with it," Kim smiled sweetly, as if she had just said that they should have dinner together that night.  
  
"Point taken."  
  
"K. I'll see you later," she said as Doc got back into the bus.  
  
"Bye." He kissed her and went back to the RMP.  
  
"Well?" Faith asked.  
  
"I have got the best woman in the world."  
  
"Good thing Jimmy didn't figure that out when they were still together or you might have wanted Cruz to kiss you last night."  
  
"Not a chance." 


	102. Screwing Up

"Faith," Bosco called after his partner in the locker room after their shift. She either didn't hear him or didn't want to talk to him right now. He guessed the latter. As the door closed behind her, Bosco stood in front of his locker looking after her. He let out a deep breath and quietly closed his locker, grabbing his coat off the bench and heading out. Just as he reached the door, it swung open and in walked Sergeant Cruz.  
  
"Bos," she said to him in almost a whisper, walking closer to him than he was comfortable with. He took a step back and the motion did not go unnoticed with Cruz. She put a hand on his arm. "I just wanted to thank you for coming after me tonight."  
  
Bosco looked at her bruised and swollen face where she was hit with the board and the dark discoloration across her throat from the crowbar.  
  
"What'd the doctor say? Are you okay?" he asked her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm tougher than that," she said, trying to make light of how close she came to death tonight.  
  
Bosco nodded. "You should be thanking Faith," he said simply, stepping aside and trying to walk around her. She grabbed tighter onto his arm and moved in to kiss him. He dodged out of the way, looking at her with that hard stare he gets when he's pissed.  
  
"I said I'm not interested," he told her, pulling his arm free.  
  
"Are you mad at me, or somethin'?" She asked with an edge to her voice.  
  
"I guess you could say that, yeah," he answered. "Don't look confused by it. You set me up with that dying declaration. I backed you up and you set me up," he said, his voice still low, but his jaw tight as he leaned in closer to prevent anyone from overhearing. He shook his head with a disgusted look on his face and turned to leave.  
  
She called after him, but he didn't turn around. Just kept walking until he was out the door. He took in a breath of cool night air, trying to compose himself before he got to the car where Kim was waiting to go home. He looked to his left and saw Faith walking toward the train and called after her.  
  
"Faith!" he said, starting to head toward her. She just put a hand up in the air, telling him that she didn't want to talk tonight. He stopped and looked after her, hoping that he hadn't permanently ruined their friendship. She gave him at least three chances to come clean about that night and he hadn't done it. He was trying to protect someone he thought was a friend.  
  
He felt a hand on his shoulder and immediately knew the touch. He reached up and covered Kim's hand with his own and slowly turned around to her.  
  
"She's pissed?" Kim stated more than asked. Bosco nodded. "What'd you do this time?" she teased him.  
  
"I may have really screwed up," he said, as he walked toward the car, leaving Kim looking after him. She walked quickly to catch up to him.  
  
"What happened, Bos?"  
  
"Thanks for taking care of Cruz tonight," he said to her trying to change the subject and realizing that wasn't the topic to start with her.  
  
"Well, it wasn't by choice. I was doing my job. I'm just glad you weren't with her this time," Kim said.  
  
"That perp gonna make it?" he asked, referring to the one that Faith shot and looking back over his shoulder to where Faith had been. She had turned the corner and was gone.  
  
"Yeah. They ought to give him a medal," she said jokingly.  
  
"For attacking a cop!?" he said, taking offense.  
  
"No! Bos, that's not what I meant. I was just kidding!" she said, grabbing his arm and making him stand still. "What happened tonight?" she asked him again.  
  
"I can't talk about it right now. I have to think some things out. Let's get home so the babysitter can take off," he said, reaching into his jeans to get his car keys.  
  
Kim walked around her side of the car and they drove home in silence.  
  
Cruz stood in the doorway of the Precinct watching him drive away.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey," Fred said, standing up as Faith walked in the door. He took one look at her. "What happened?"  
  
"What? Nothing. Well, I shot someone tonight. This guy that had dragged one of our anti-crime Sergeant's into an alley and started beating on her. We had an entire night of 10-13's - all but two of them unfounded," she said.  
  
"Yeah, I saw a report on the news. Everyone okay?" he asked her.  
  
"Yeah. The one cop from the 5th Precinct was pretty bad, but they think he's gonna make it. His ex-wife's boyfriend stabbed him," she told him as she flopped down on the couch next to him.  
  
"And the other one? The one you dislike?" he prodded. She looked up at him.  
  
"How'd you know it was Cruz?"  
  
"I saw you on the news. They had a live report. You were talking to her alongside the ambulance. You didn't look happy," he said, rubbing her shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, well. She may have screwed over someone I care about," Faith said, the tension evident in her shoulders.  
  
"You tried to warn him," was all Fred said.  
  
"Yeah. But he's stubborn. We know that. Now he may really be in trouble if she decides she wants to make it for him," she said.  
  
"What're you gonna do about it?"  
  
"What d'you mean?" she asked him.  
  
"Faith. I know you and when it comes to Bosco you're like a lioness protecting her cubs - just like with our kids," he said.  
  
"How's Em?" Faith asked.  
  
"She's okay. She's probably still awake. I guess she had a hard day at school today. Some of the kids were mean - calling her names - you know, being kids," he said.  
  
"I'll go talk to her," she said, pulling herself up off the couch. "And Charlie?"  
  
"Charlie's Charlie. Nothing bothers him. He got an "A" on his Science project," Fred told her.  
  
"Good for him. I'll make him a special breakfast in the morning to celebrate," she said, heading down the hallway.  
  
"He was hoping you would. I sent Em down to the corner to get some fresh bacon," he told her and she smiled as she headed in to see if Emily was awake.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kim awoke and immediately felt the emptiness next to her. She sat up and looked around the room only to confirm that Bosco was not there. She got out of bed and threw her robe on. She walked up the hallway looking in at each of the boys along the way. She stopped to put the blanket back over Johnny and then continued up the hallway where she saw Bosco staring out the window.  
  
"D'you cover him up again?" he asked, hearing her come into the room.  
  
"Yeah. He's almost as restless a sleeper as you are," she said, getting a short chuckle out of him. "But, at least he's sleeping. What's going on, Bosco?"  
  
No response.  
  
"What happened between you and Faith tonight?" she asked, urging him to get it out. "Maybe I can help."  
  
"I lied to her and she knows it," he said finally.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"You remember that whole thing with Miguel White?" he asked her.  
  
"How could I forget," she said. "Go on."  
  
"You remember we found that perp in the bus station? The one that started shooting?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. "He didn't really make a dying declaration of guilt," he said softly. "He was already dead by the time Cruz and I reached him."  
  
"But, you said..." she started only to be interrupted.  
  
"I know what I said, Kim," he said shortly. "The guy needed to be off the street. We needed the dead guy's statement to arrest the guy that ordered the hit on Miguel. He was gonna have a 12 year old kid murdered, Kim," Bosco said, turning to face her. She stood listening as he tried to justify it in his own mind. "I signed the report as a witness. The report has my name on it and Cruz told Faith that it didn't matter that it wasn't true. It wasn't gonna hurt her because she put me out in front of it - not her," Bosco said, running his hand through his hair as he turned back toward the window.  
  
"So, go to your bosses. Let them know," she said.  
  
"It's not that easy, Kim," he said. "I signed that report indicating that it was accurate. And now Faith - she doesn't trust me anymore. I don't know if she'll back me," he said.  
  
"Well, she doesn't like Cruz anymore than I do. She'll back you on this. She's your partner and your best friend - that'll never change, Bos," Kim said as she crossed the room to him. "She'll help you find a way to make it right."  
  
Bosco turned around and took Kim in his arms. "I hope you're right, Kim. I really hope you're right. And thanks for not saying 'I told you so.'"  
  
They turned and walked arms around each other's waists toward the bedroom. 


	103. Cheering Him Up

"You're going to what?" Alex stared at Kim.  
  
"It's to cheer him up."  
  
"Cheering him up is one thing but public displays of nudity is another."  
  
"I won't be naked," Kim tossed her a bag. "Check it out."  
  
Alex went through the bag and her eyes widened at the lingerie in it. "Wow," she breathed.  
  
"Too much?"  
  
"I don't think those words can be applied to this outfit."  
  
"Think Bosco will like it?"  
  
"What are you kidding? He'll love it. He'll start drooling the minute he sees you. By the way, how do you plan to walk out of here in this?"  
  
"By wearing this over it," Kim pulled out a long over coat.  
  
"Oh my God. When did you become such a nympho?"  
  
"Bosco just seems to have an effect on me," Kim smiled.  
  
"Lucky him," Alex said before frowning. "Or is it lucky you?"  
  
"We're both lucky," Kim compromised. "So, what are you doing tonight?"  
  
"Nothing as interesting as what you plan to do."  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Bosco buttoned up his shirt and closed his locker door before grabbing his jacket and bag and leaving the locker room. He passed some of the guys coming on duty and nodded to them. He headed out the door but stopped when he heard Davis call him.  
  
"Hey man, you feel like a drink?" The taller man asked.  
  
"Nah, I'm just gonna get Kim and go home. I just wanna crash."  
  
"Looks like you don't have to wait for Kim," Davis nodded.  
  
Bosco turned around. Sure enough, Kim was sitting on the hood of his car. "Looks like. I'll see you tomorrow Ty."  
  
"Night Bos," he said before waving a farewell to Kim and turning to walk the other way.  
  
Bosco walked towards the car and his wife tiredly. "Hey," he said when he got closer.  
  
"Hi," she smiled. "Long day?"  
  
"Like you wouldn't believe." He took a look at her. "What's with the coat?"  
  
"You don't like it?"  
  
"No, it's not that. Where'd it come from?"  
  
"Melanie's closet. She lent it to me," she smiled at him.  
  
Bosco looked at her carefully. He studied her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, which were encased in high heels. "You're not wearing anything under that are you?"  
  
"Do you really think I'd leave the house and walk across the street with just a coat on?"  
  
Bosco studied her grin carefully. "Yes, I do."  
  
"Well, turns out you don't know me as well as you like to think you do," she said undoing the sash on her coat. "Besides, I've always been of the opinion that total nudity is not as interesting."  
  
"You're nuts," he breathed taking in her outfit. "Oh God."  
  
Kim grinned, "That's my boy." She took his hand and pulled him close.  
  
"We can't do this out here."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"'Cause we're not exactly alone."  
  
"What was it you told me on the roof last Fourth of July?"  
  
Bosco grinned, "That if you try hard enough, you can be alone in a crowd. You sure you want to do this here?"  
  
"Absolutely," Kim whispered in his ear. "Kiss me Maurice."  
  
"Oh I think we're way past kissing Kimmy."  
  
"Then what do you wanna do?"  
  
"Everything," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Then what are you waiting for?" 


	104. Competition

"Davis! I can't believe you had the guts to come back again this year," Jimmy said as Sully and Davis walked into the gym.  
  
"He was just holding back last year," Bosco replied as he walked by Jimmy and stole the basketball that he was twirling on his finger.  
  
"Hey!" Jimmy yelled grabbing for the ball but missing as Bosco dribbled away.  
  
"Get used to it, Doherty," Bosco yelled over his shoulder.  
  
"I can't believe I'm gonna sit here and watch these two guys try to out do each other," Kim said as Faith sat down next to her.  
  
"Yeah. We are gluttons for punishment, aren't we," Faith stated.  
  
"Bosco'll be glad you came, Faith," Kim told her. Faith only slightly nodded her head.  
  
"Fred and the kids are visiting his Mom this weekend," Faith told her.  
  
"So, I'm takin' it that you two aren't on the best terms at work," Kim said matter-of-factly as she watched the group warming up and harassing each other.  
  
"He tell you that?" Faith asked.  
  
"He doesn't have to. He's talking to me about things that he'd normally talk to you about," Kim said. "Don't get me wrong. I like that he's talking to me about those things," she quickly added. "It's just that, you know-" she trailed off as she noticed someone enter the gym from across the room.  
  
Faith noticed at the same time and Kim could see her tense up as she said, "Oh great."  
  
Without taking her eyes off of Cruz, Kim said, "You're Bosco's oldest and closest friend, Faith. He thinks you hold a bad opinion of him and I believe it scares him."  
  
"He did what he did, Kim. There's no changing that. He thinks there's nothing wrong with it. We don't agree, but that doesn't mean I'm not still his friend," she told her as they both watched Cruz move closer to the group of cops standing around. They watched as she made her way through the group and wound up behind Bosco.  
  
Faith noticed Bosco stealing glances in her and Kim's direction. She felt him do that in the RMP during their shift. There's no denying that there's a change in their relationship as much as she wished it wasn't true.  
  
Just as Cruz was about to say something to Bosco, Faith yelled, "Yo! Are we gonna get this basketball game started or what? I don't want that shelf I dusted off in the Roll Call Room today to fill up with dust again before we put the Camelot Cup back where it belongs!" An excited hum started up again and Cruz looked quickly up in Faith's direction, first catching Faith's attention and then Kim's. She gave one of her evil smirks and went to sit down on the bleachers near the NYPD bench.  
  
"She's trouble, Kim," Faith said.  
  
"I trust him," Kim replied.  
  
"I do too. But, I don't trust her. She's bad news and she's gonna do everything she can to try to either get what she wants or bring down anyone that gets in her way," Faith said, standing up.  
  
"Where're you going?" Kim asked her.  
  
"I have some unfinished business," she said as she made her way toward Cruz.  
  
Cruz caught sight of Faith approaching just as her cell phone rang. She answered it and looked around the room briefly before putting the phone back in her pocket.  
  
"Boscorelli!" she yelled out onto the court. Bosco looked around to see it was Cruz who called him and he walked over to her.  
  
"Anti-Crime's got a lead. We could use some help," she said, feeling the heat of Kim's stare on her, but not looking up.  
  
Bosco looked past Faith to Kim and then back to Cruz. "Sorry, Sergeant, but I already had a couple of beers. Next time though?"  
  
"You really had too much to drink?" Cruz asked him, giving him another chance.  
  
"One too many to be running around with a gun," he said as Jimmy came up alongside them.  
  
"Ladies, we have a game to- Oh, Bosco. Sorry. I thought you were one of the girls," Jimmy teased. "Are we gonna get this game under way, or what?"  
  
Bosco tried to hide the smirk and replied, "Oh, we're so ready. Let's go, Bucket Boys," he said as the referee blew the whistle to start the game.  
  
"Thanks, Jimmy," Kim thought to herself, knowing that Jimmy went over to distract Bosco from Cruz. She'd told Jimmy of her distrust of the woman one day while they were at work.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It had been a close game and the competition between Jimmy Doherty and Maurice Boscorelli was intense to say the least. "I really hate when they get like this," Kim said to Alex who was on the FDNY bench in front of her.  
  
"Well, Kim. You brought this on yourself," Alex teased. "You have the one that realizes what he let get away and," she paused.  
  
"And?" Kim urged her to continue.  
  
"And the one that loves any opportunity to rub his nose in it," she finished as Jimmy and Bosco connected with each other again, Bosco receiving an elbow to the shoulder blade and Jimmy receiving an elbow to the ribs. Kim and Alex laughed as they gathered their things.  
  
The whistle blew indicating the end of the game. After a few minutes of joking around, it was decided where everyone would meet up for snacks and some drinks. Bosco walked over to where Kim was standing.  
  
"Hey. So, how'd I look?" he asked her.  
  
"I don't know. You two can compare bruises in the morning and then we'll declare the winner," she said, pinching his arm.  
  
"Ow!" he yelled out loud and then laughed as Kim started to follow Alex out. "Hey, thanks, Babe. That one may have put me over the top!" he yelled after her.  
  
"You're hopeless, Boscorelli!" she replied over her shoulder at him, giving him the look that said that she wanted to go home and have her way with him.  
  
"But you love me anyway, right!? Right?!" he said, grabbing his bag and jogging to catch up with them. He felt someone's stare and turned to see Faith walking slowly out the door. She looked up to catch his eye and the two nodded goodnight to each other. 


	105. Hanging Out

"Hey Rose," Kim greeted sitting down at the bar.  
  
"Hi sweetie. Where's Maurice?"  
  
"He got held up writing a report. I told him to meet me here and bummed a ride from Doc who lives about three blocks away."  
  
"That was nice of him," Rose smiled. "What can I get you?"  
  
"Something to eat. I'm starving."  
  
"I'll get you a burger."  
  
"Thanks Rose," Kim smiled. She drummed her fingers on the counter as she waited for her food and looked up in surprise when one of the waitresses set down a drink. "Becky? What's this?"  
  
"A Shirley Temple."  
  
"What?" Kim laughed. "I don't think I've had one of these since I was seventeen."  
  
"Well, tell it to the guy who sent it to you."  
  
"Guy? Did you tell this guy I'm married to the boss' son?"  
  
"I did but he flashed a badge and said it was for old times' sake."  
  
"What? Where is he?"  
  
"Back table, right corner."  
  
Kim turned around and started laughing. The guy in question got up and headed over towards her. "Some things never change," she said when he got close enough to hear her.  
  
John Clark Jr. smiled at her. It was the same smile he'd given her when he asked her out in tenth grade. "Hey Kimmy."  
  
"What are you doing here?" she gave him a hug.  
  
"Having a beer."  
  
"No, I mean I thought you'd be out at a bar closer to the old neighborhood," she gestured for him to take a seat.  
  
"I moved and this is closer," he sat down. "Although I do have very fond memories of that place."  
  
"You should. It was the only place Mom would let you take me without a chaperone. I think it was because of Mrs. O'Hara and the fact that she promised that she'd keep an eye on us."  
  
John laughed.  
  
"Here you go sweetie," Rose set some food down in front of Kim.  
  
"I thought the kitchen was closed," John said.  
  
"Not to family."  
  
"Family?" John looked at Kim.  
  
Kim held out her left hand. "About two years ago, her son made me legal."  
  
"Now that you mention it, your mom did say something last time I ran into her. He's a cop right?"  
  
"Over at the 5-5," Kim nodded.  
  
"They've got some good cops out there."  
  
"Why thank you. They have some pretty good cops at the 15th too," she smiled. "Rose? Do you think you could get my old friend here some food?"  
  
"Any friend of Kim's, even when I don't know their name, is a friend of mine," Rose smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry. Rose Boscorelli, John Clark."  
  
"Nice to meet you Rose," John shook her hand.  
  
"Likewise. Burger okay?"  
  
"Sounds perfect," John nodded.  
  
"Be right back."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Bosco entered the bar and looked around for Kim. He narrowed his eyes when he found her. She was at the bar laughing at what the guy next to her was saying. The guy was vaguely familiar but he still didn't like the fact that his wife looked so comfortable sitting there.  
  
He headed over. "Hey. Sorry I'm so late," he said leaning over and kissing Kim.  
  
"Mmm," Kim sighed when he pulled away. She didn't think she'd ever tire of kissing Maurice. "That's okay," she said in a more normal voice when she came down from her high. "I had an old friend to keep me company. Maurice Boscorelli, this is John Clark. John this is my husband Maurice. John and I went to high school together."  
  
"Good to meet you," Bosco said, giving him the once over and then shaking his hand.  
  
"You too," John nodded before he checked his watch. "Speaking of late, I better go. I'm supposed to meet Rita at her place in twenty minutes," he signaled for Rose.  
  
She came over. "Hi Baby."  
  
"Hi Ma," Bosco took a seat on the other side of Kim.  
  
"Can I get a bill Rose?"  
  
"You drink for free when you drink with my daughter-in-law."  
  
"Well I'll have to drink with her more often," John smiled. He gave Kim a hug. "It was good to see you Kim."  
  
"You too. Tell your dad I said hi and I hope he enjoys his retirement. God knows he earned it."  
  
"I will. You tell your mom and Mel I said hi."  
  
"Will do."  
  
John looked beyond Kim to Bosco. "Maurice, it was nice to meet you. I'm sure I'll see you again."  
  
"I'm sure you will," Bosco nodded.  
  
"Bye," Kim said. Once John was out of sight she turned back to Bosco. "Go ahead."  
  
"What?" Bosco played dumb.  
  
"I know you wanna ask, so go ahead."  
  
"I don't wanna ask anything. But if you want to tell me something, I wouldn't object to hearing it," he smiled charmingly.  
  
"He was a childhood friend, we went out most of tenth and eleventh grade, and he was the first guy I ever slept with. Anything else you wanna know?"  
  
"First love?"  
  
"Yes," Kim nodded.  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hmm?" He looked at her.  
  
"You remember what you told me in regards to my jealousy over Reyes and Cruz?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Same thing applies here. He was a friend, a first love. Something I'll never have again and someone who will always have a special place in my history. You are my last love," she took his hand. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too," he smiled. "I'm being stupid."  
  
"Yeah but that's okay. It's kinda sweet."  
  
"Is it a turn on?"  
  
"Why don't you take me home and find out?"  
  
"Let's go." 


	106. Central to 55 David

"Central to 55-David," the dispatcher said over the radio. Faith looked toward the coffee shop where Bosco had just gone in to get some coffee for them.  
  
"55-David. Go ahead, Central," she replied.  
  
"Respond to Arthur and 108 for a motor vehicle accident with injuries. EMS is on-scene and in route," the dispatcher advised.  
  
"Received, Central," Faith replied as she noticed Bosco coming out with the coffee, stopping briefly to exchange small talk with the waitress in the coffee shop.  
  
Faith put her window down and yelled to her partner. "Bos, let's go. We got a motor vehicle accident with injuries."  
  
"Dammit! Why is it every time I get a decent cup of coffee, dispatch sends us on a call? They must have cameras in the RMP. I'm gonna check it out later," he grumbled as he threw their coffees away and got in the driver's seat. Faith just rolled her eyes and shook her head in agreement.  
  
They were on the way to the call when they received another message from the dispatcher. "55-David. We're getting better information from 55- Charlie. Accident involving a paramedic unit from the 5-5. 55-Charlie requests that you expedite. Lieutenant shows you out of service for the remainder of the shift."  
  
Faith acknowledged receipt of the message as Bosco put his foot down on the accelerator knowing that Kim was involved. "Bosco, take it easy. Let's get there in one piece or we're not gonna do anyone any good," Faith said, knowing that her advice had fallen on deaf ears.  
  
------------  
  
Doc and Carlos arrived at the scene of the accident just behind Sully and Davis. They knew that the squad was coming in behind them and they could hear by the sound of the squad's engine that Walsh had his foot in it, knowing that their own were involved. Not that they don't rush just as much with anyone that needs help - it's just that this is different; this is family and you have a greater burst of adrenaline when it's one of your own. There really was no way to explain it - except to ask someone how they would react if it was their own spouse or child involved rather than a co-worker or just some person on the street.  
  
Doc and Carlos jumped out of the bus and reached the scene at the same time as Davis and Sully. All four people involved were unconscious. It appeared from what witnesses were saying that a pick-up truck came through the intersection against the light and hit the ambulance in the front passenger side with the full front of the pick-up truck.  
  
Doc quickly looked around for leaking gas or any other signs of danger before they approached and saw something leaking from the pick-up truck that was buried in the side of the ambulance. He turned to tell the crew that was just getting off the squad of the leak and continued toward the patients. He sent Carlos to check out the two people in the pick-up while he assessed Kim and Alex. Alex was driving and Kim took most of the impact, although it looked like she tried to get away from the door as she realized what was happening by the way she was positioned in the seat. Either that or the force of the impact had done it.  
  
Davis advised the dispatcher to send 55-David to the scene and to advise the Lieutenant that Bosco's wife was involved. The dispatcher acknowledged and came back a moment later.  
  
"Central to 55-Charlie. 55-David has been notified and is in route to your location. The Lieutenant was advised and has removed 55-David from service for the remainder of the shift."  
  
"10-4, Central," Davis acknowledged.  
  
Carlos came over to Doc to help with the two injured medics. "What's going on with the two in the truck?" Doc asked him.  
  
"They're gone. Massive head trauma with gray matter showing and no pulse or respirations. I couldn't hear any heartbeat with the stethoscope either. The truck reeks of alcohol. How bad are these two?" Carlos asked.  
  
"Both unconscious, but breathing. Finish immobilizing them and then we'll get them out of the bus." DK and Walsh were washing away the leaking fluids to prevent a fire and Doc noticed that Jimmy was hovering close, trying to see how badly Kim and Alex were hurt. "Jimmy, we need some muscle over here," he said  
  
"How bad is it Doc?" Jimmy asked as Walsh left DK and came over to help remove the two medics from their bus.  
  
-------  
  
55-David came screeching up to the scene and the car was barely in park before Bosco was out of it and heading over toward the crushed ambulance. Faith got out and followed him.  
  
"How bad is she?" Bosco said to Ty as he passed him  
  
"I don't know, man. I don't know," Davis told him and looked at Faith with very worried eyes.  
  
Bosco reached Kim just as she was being taken out of the bus. "Kimmy!" Bosco yelled to her and got no response. "Kimmy! I'm here."  
  
"She's unconscious, Bos. We don't know the extent of injuries yet, but she took the brunt of it by the looks of the damage to the bus," Doc told him, letting him in briefly to see his wife.  
  
"How's Alex?" Bosco asked without looking away from Kim and brushing the hair from her face.  
  
"We're still assessing both of them, Bos. Look, we gotta get going. You coming with me?" Doc asked him  
  
"Absolutely. You want me to drive?" Bosco asked him, knowing that Doc and Carlos would need to work on Kim.  
  
"No. DK, you drive. Carlos, you take Alex and ride with Sammy in the other bus and Janet will ride with me. I want one of us with them at all times," Doc told Carlos.  
  
"Okay. Alex is coming around and she's pissed," Carlos commented.  
  
"Pissed because the guy ran into her, or pissed as in agitated from a head injury?" Doc asked quickly as he got Kim into the bus.  
  
"Pissed as in she knows exactly where she is and what happened and she wants to get up off the stretcher and take care of the guy that hit them," Carlos said.  
  
"Good," Doc smiled. "I'll see you at Mercy."  
  
"Kim!" Bosco heard Alex call. He quickly went over to her for a moment.  
  
"We've got her, Alex. She can't hear you right now. We'll see you at Mercy," Bosco told her.  
  
"Let's go, Bos!" Doc called as he finished his assessment and started taking vitals. Bosco looked back to his partner.  
  
"Go! I'll meet you there, Bos. And, don't worry, she's gonna be okay," Faith told him.  
  
"I'll call Catherine and tell her to get Joey from school and bring him to your place and watch Johnny," Jimmy called after him and Bosco gave him a nod that he heard him.  
  
The ambulance pulled away and left Jimmy looking after it. "C'mon, Jimmy. You can use my cell to call Catherine. I'll give you a ride over to Mercy," Faith said to him.  
  
"Thanks. Let me tell the Captain first," he said, running over to his boss and then returning.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Bosco sat at the head of the stretcher, his hand in her hair and the other on her shoulder. "Kimmy? Can you hear me?" he said in her ear. He got no response.  
  
Doc had started an IV and had some oxygen on her. He was cleaning up a few minor cuts to her face from the broken glass. He could find no other signs of injury despite the hard hit the ambulance took and her vitals were strong. After he cleaned some of the blood away from her forehead, he noticed a good-sized bump on the side of her head which had started to bruise. He gently wiped the blood from it and felt his hand being pushed away.  
  
"I'm just trying to clean this up a little to see what we've got, Bos," Doc said, thinking that it was Bosco pushing his hand away.  
  
"That's not me, Doc," Bosco said to him as he looked at the grimace on Kim's face.  
  
"Kim? Are you awake? Open your eyes, Baby," Bosco said to her.  
  
"Stop being so bossy," she said to her husband in jest. "And, turn that damned siren off. I've got a terrible headache."  
  
Bosco and Doc exchanged glances and smiled. "Well, you certainly woke up on the wrong side of the ambulance stretcher today," Doc said to her.  
  
"Nah. She's always this grumpy when she wakes up in the morning," Bosco teased. "But her hair usually looks better at home," he added, taking hold of her hand that she was reaching up with.  
  
"Don't be a wise-ass," she said to him. "How's Alex?"  
  
"About as pissed as you are," Doc answered.  
  
"She's gonna be okay?" Kim asked.  
  
"Yeah, you're both gonna be fine. Your bus on the other hand..." Doc trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. "We're here."  
  
"Good, the sooner I get off this damned backboard, the better," she complained.  
  
"Now don't be mean to the doctors and nurses. You know they can leave you on this for as long as they want," Doc warned with a smile.  
  
Doc and the other medic unloaded Kim as Bosco took a step back and took in a deep breath. "She's gonna be okay, Bos. Probably just a concussion," Doc told him.  
  
"She scared the crap out of me, Doc," he said, following them in.  
  
"You and me both," Doc said as they walked into the ER and got the space right beside Alex. Kim and Alex were talking to each other, complaining about drunk drivers as Faith and Jimmy walked in.  
  
Bos stepped outside and said, "She's gonna be fine. They both are. I'm taking her home in a little while. Just a concussion," he told them as they both breathed a sigh of relief. 


	107. Bugged

"You ready to go?" Bosco asked as he came into Kim and Alex's room.  
  
"Ready and willing, not to mention able. The doctor said to go home and get some rest," Kim said. "And Doc told us both that if he saw us near the firehouse in the next twenty-four hours we were fired."  
  
Bosco grinned and then looked at his wife's partner. "How are you getting home Alex?"  
  
"I called my mom and she's coming to get me. I'm staying with her tonight."  
  
"I thought Ty asked to put you up," Kim said getting off the gurney and putting on her jacket.  
  
"Yeah but Carlos snores and I've already got a headache," Alex grinned.  
  
Kim and Bosco laughed. "Call me tomorrow," Kim said, giving Alex a hug.  
  
"I will. Bosco, you make sure you let Kim sleep tonight. Don't keep her up late."  
  
"Yes Mother," Bosco grinned.  
  
"C'mon Babe, let's get me discharged," Kim took his hand and led him out of the room. "So, did Davis bring your car back in one piece?"  
  
"Yes, he did," Bosco said as they stopped walking for a minute.  
  
"What?" Kim looked at him.  
  
Bosco cradled her head in his hands and studied her face. He lightly touched the bandage on her forehead.  
  
"I'm okay," Kim quietly told him. "I have a headache but that's it."  
  
"I know," he nodded. "I just."  
  
"Got scared? I know the feeling."  
  
"I know you do."  
  
"C'mon. Let's go home, get rid of my mother, make sure the boys are asleep, take a hot shower and crawl into bed."  
  
"I like the way your mind works. I'll even wash your hair."  
  
"You'd do that for me?" Kim smiled.  
  
"I'd do anything for you."  
  
"Babe, I bet you would," she kissed him.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Jimmy stood watching the two of them.  
  
"Hey Jimmy? You need a ride back to the firehouse?" Faith asked walking up.  
  
"Huh?" He looked at her. "Oh yeah. Sure. Thanks."  
  
Faith looked to where Jimmy had been looking and then she looked back at him. "Still bugs you, doesn't it?" Faith asked.  
  
"What?" Jimmy looked at her.  
  
"Kim and Bosco. It still bugs you that she's with him."  
  
Jimmy laughed a little, "Come on Faith, they've been married for over two years."  
  
"So? Jealousy doesn't have a statue of limitations."  
  
Jimmy sighed. "She's happy. Joey's happy. That's all that matters."  
  
"But you wish it were you that was making them happy right?"  
  
"Sometimes yeah, I do," he admitted quietly. "But those days are long gone."  
  
"He loves her Jimmy."  
  
"I know. I know he makes her happy."  
  
"And if the day ever comes when that changes, I'll be the first one to kick his ass," Faith promised.  
  
Jimmy laughed. "Thanks Faith. Your offer still good?"  
  
"Absolutely. Let's go."  
  
Firefighter and cop left the ER. 


	108. Mr Mom

"So, how're you feeling?" Bosco asked her as he watched her wake up. She answered with a moan.  
  
"Well, then it matches how you look," he said, laughing and expertly maneuvering out of her way as she reached out from under the covers to hit him.  
  
"What time is it?" she mumbled from under the pillow.  
  
"Uh... 9:30," he answered.  
  
"In the morning?!" she exclaimed moving quickly out from under the covers and looking for her robe.  
  
"That's usually what comes after the night time, Kim," he said sarcastically. "Where are you going?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder to slow her down.  
  
"Joey should have been at school an hour ago and Johnny must be soaked and starving by now," she said, stopping and looking at the baby monitor. "Why isn't he crying?" she asked, jumping up with alarm.  
  
He grabbed her arm as she flew by him. "Because he's been fed, bathed and dressed, and when I checked a minute ago, he was playing with his music thingy in his crib while I came to check on you," he said, releasing her arm as she relaxed. As if on cue, they heard Johnny say, "Ma, ma, ma, ma," and then giggle.  
  
"I think he missed you last night and this morning. I did my best, but I'm sure it wasn't as good as Mommy does," Bosco said as he sat on the bed next to her.  
  
"Did I ever tell you that you're pretty terrific?" she said, leaning back against him. She rubbed her head and started to say, "Now if you could magically produce...."  
  
"This?" he asked, reaching over to the dresser and handing her some aspirin and some water.  
  
"Yup. You're terrific," she said, taking the aspirin.  
  
"Terrific! I'm Grrrrrreeat!" he said.  
  
"You've been eating Joey's Frosted Flakes again, haven't you?" she teased him.  
  
"I love those things!" he said, standing up and starting to clean up around the room. "You want me to make you some breakfast?" he asked her as she watched him move about the room and Johnny called for her again.  
  
"How much of that sugar did you have?" she asked. She'd never seen him like this before.  
  
"Not much. So, I was thinking? If you're feeling better later, do you want to take the kids over to the park when Joey gets home from school?" he asked her.  
  
She looked up to answer him and noticed he was gone. "Bos?" she called and then heard him on the baby monitor.  
  
"You want to say hi to Mommy?" he asked Johnny, and was rewarded with "Ma, ma, ma, ma."  
  
He came back into the room with Johnny and handed him over to Kim. "Hey, my little man. How are you?" she asked, hugging him. Johnny cuddled up to her. "Wow, his clothes match and everything," she said in surprise.  
  
He gave her a hurt look and she apologized for doubting him. "Joey told me what to put on him," he said before dashing out of the room. She heard him doing something out in the kitchen and then he was back, leaning on the doorframe and watching as she fussed over Johnny.  
  
"So, you want some coffee? I'll make you some eggs if you want?" Bosco asked her again.  
  
"Coffee definitely. Is there any bagels left?" she asked. He nodded his head. "Just a bagel, toasted with butter, please?" she asked.  
  
"You got it. So, how're you feeling? Any dizziness or blurred vision?" he asked, remembering what the doctor had told them to watch for. He'd followed orders and woke her periodically throughout the night because of the concussion.  
  
"Why, no Dr. Boscorelli. Just the headache," she said, standing up and walking up the hallway behind Bosco.  
  
"That's normal," he told her and she resisted the urge to laugh. She looked into the boys' rooms as she went past and noticed that beds were made and the rooms were picked up. She looked around the living room and kitchen and noticed that everything was tidy and there were no dirty dishes in the sink. "And, by the way, that bruise is lovely," he said, referring to the bruise on the side of her head from the accident.  
  
"What time did you get up this morning?" she asked in surprise, walking over to the mirror on the wall and trying to hide the bruise with her hair.  
  
"Let's see, his Highness started fussing around 5:30 because he never got his last bottle before bed last night," he said, walking over to her. "Remember, he fell asleep and we decided to see if he'd go through the night? Well, he makes it to 5:30. My suggestion is we give him a bottle tonight," he said, leaning over and kissing the boy on the head and then leaning over to kiss Kim.  
  
"So noted. I'll take care of it. You'll be tired after working tonight," she said, kissing him back.  
  
"I'm not working. I took the night off in case you weren't feeling good," he told her.  
  
"Have I told you that I love you?" Kim said. "And the place looks great. You really are becoming quite domesticated, you know."  
  
"If you tell the guys at the house, I'll kill you," he said, going into the kitchen to butter the bagel that had just popped up from the toaster.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It turned out to be a beautiful day and after Joey got home from school, they all went for a walk through the park. It was a little chilly, but they had a good time. Joey and Bosco had a snowball fight with the snow that was slightly slushy from the increased temperature of the day and they watched Johnny make faces as he touched the cold, wet substance.  
  
They ordered dinner in and he finished up helping Joey with his homework and getting Johnny to bed - after his bottle. They were sitting on the couch watching television, as Joey got showered and ready for bed.  
  
"Thanks, Maurice," Kim said to him.  
  
"For what?" he asked, looking over at her with tired eyes.  
  
"For taking care of everything today," she said, leaning over to give him another kiss.  
  
"I gotta tell you, I'm pooped. I could do four foot pursuits and not be this tired," he said. "I give you a lot of credit and from now on if you need me to help out around here, just say the word," he said as Joey called out that he was in bed. Bosco stood up and went in to say goodnight to him. He walked into the bedroom to get their blanket off the shelf in the closet so they could curl up on the couch together.  
  
After he didn't come back in a few minutes, Kim walked down the hallway and saw him lying on the bed, sound asleep. She climbed onto the bed, on top of the comforter, and pulled the blanket over them both and fell asleep alongside her husband with a smile on her face. 


	109. Bar Talk

"Mark."  
  
"Doug."  
  
"Carter."  
  
"Malucci."  
  
"Gallant."  
  
"Pratt."  
  
"What are you two doing?" Carlos asked of Kim and Alex.  
  
"Oh, we're debating the men of ER through the years," Kim said.  
  
"Yes. It would seem Kim likes the bad boys," Alex said as she got up to get herself a drink while Carlos joined Kim.  
  
"And that would explain Bosco," Davis said sitting down.  
  
"And Jimmy."  
  
"Well, now, as I hear it there's nothing that can truly explain Jimmy Doherty," Davis said with a grin.  
  
"Ha-ha. Very funny Ty," Kim said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"What's funny?" Jimmy asked, sitting down.  
  
"Nothing," Kim said, covering for the cop. She peered around Carlos and frowned. "What's Bosco doing?"  
  
"He got a call on his cell," Jimmy said.  
  
Kim looked at her ex-husband, "It's not his mom, is it? It's her night off and she's got the boys."  
  
"No. As far as I could tell it's work."  
  
"That means it's Cruz," Kim rolled her eyes.  
  
"You don't know that," Carlos pointed out.  
  
"Yeah I do. The only time Stick calls is when there's an extreme emergency and if that were the case, Ty's beeper would be going off too."  
  
"She's got a point," Ty said. Off Jimmy's glare, "What? She's right. I'm not gonna lie to the girl."  
  
Kim smiled, "Thanks Davis. Hey, when was the last time you pushed me around a dance floor?"  
  
"I think it was at your wedding."  
  
"Then it was way to long ago. C'mon, if you think you can keep up."  
  
"Let's go," Davis joined Kim on the floor.  
  
Alex came back a few seconds later, "Where'd Kim and Ty go?"  
  
"Dance floor. Did you hear who Bosco was talking to?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Called the person on the other end sergeant," Alex sat down. "So, I'm thinking it's that man-eater Cruz."  
  
"Kim came to the same conclusion. Did you hear anything?"  
  
"I think Cruz is trying to make Bosco come back in. He's trying to explain that he's had a few."  
  
"It's not working?" Carlos asked.  
  
"I don't know. She might not believe him, I think."  
  
"That girl's asking for it," Jimmy said. "Kim's got a temper."  
  
"And she wouldn't be alone in a fight. I don't care if Cruz is a cop. I'd help Kim kick her ass in a second if she asked," Alex said.  
  
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Jimmy said. 


	110. Called In

"Kim," Bosco said into her ear as he walked up behind her. "I have to go into work," he said as she turned toward him and he saw the look come over her face.  
  
"What does she want from you this time?" she asked him, trying to hider her anger.  
  
"Uh oh," Alex said to Ty as she watched from a few tables away.  
  
"What?" asked Ty and Jimmy at the same time. The two turned to see where Alex was looking and saw a tense discussion between Kim and Bosco.  
  
"I don't know, but I'd like to be a fly on the wall over there to hear the conversation. If I had to put money on it, I'd say that it's about the phone call from his Sergeant.  
  
"Kim. Please. We've been through this.."  
  
"Yes, but I haven't been through this with her. Maybe I should do that," she said, reaching for Bosco's cell phone in his pocket. He put a hand over her hand while it was in his pocket.  
  
"Kim, please. I just need to go do my job," he said, a slight smirk coming across his face. "And you're in no shape to call anyone. How many of those have you had?"  
  
"I'm not drunk! I had two," she said defensively.  
  
"No, you're not drunk, but you can barely handle one of those things," he told her, taking the glass out of her hand and trying not to laugh. "C'mon. I'll drop you off at home before I go in to the house," he offered.  
  
"Maybe I don't want to leave yet," she said in defiance. "Maybe I want to come with you."  
  
"Well, you can't come with me because you don't know how to handle a gun and you're not a cop," he said, noticing that Alex, Jimmy and Ty were watching. He made a face at them in hopes that they realized that he needed help and come over. Jimmy and Ty looked away. "Cowards," Bosco thought to himself.  
  
"You know, you guys are such jerks," Alex said, getting up and heading over to Bosco and Kim.  
  
"Hey, Kimmy! Pool table's free. You promised you'd let me try to beat you this time," Alex reminded her of their earlier conversation.  
  
"Well, I can't because my husband has to drop everything and run for his precious Sergeant," she said.  
  
"Kim. I've been working on this guy for a long time. Now, I have the opportunity to wrap it up and make a significant arrest. My file can use some actual good news," he said and saw her soften a little.  
  
"Well, I just wish it wasn't with 'her,'" she said, making a face.  
  
"Why? I told you that you don't have anything to worry about between me and her," he said again impatiently. "I love you," he told her.  
  
"It's not you 'with' her I'm worried about, Baby," Kim said. "I'm afraid for YOU when SHE'S around. She's dangerous."  
  
"I'll be careful. I promise," he said, looking at Alex. "Can you give her a ride home later?"  
  
"Sure. No problem," Alex said. "C'mon, Kim. Come over here with Ty and me. We'll finish up and head out. I'm beat anyway."  
  
Kim gave Bosco a kiss and whispered in his ear that she was sorry and for him to be very careful. "I will," he told her again and then turned to leave. He looked over his shoulder to Jimmy and said, "And don't let her have any more." Jimmy nodded his understanding and waved. 


	111. It Could Get Ugly

"You're doing a paramedic shift tonight?" Kim asked Alex when she saw the other woman in a uniform identical to her own.  
  
"Yeah. Carlos is still on the bench so Lieu asked me to fill in."  
  
"Cool," Kim nodded. "Although you might not think so by the end of the night."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Alex looked at her.  
  
"Full moon, Saturday night," Kim said simply. "It could get ugly."  
  
Alex rolled her eyes, "I'm not Carlos. You can't scare me."  
  
"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
~)~)~)~)~)~  
  
"God, what a night," Kim said as she and Alex trekked back upstairs to the firehouse kitchen. "I hate the sticky ones the most. That guy covered in honey was gross."  
  
"The guy with the hot oil burns was way worse," Alex groaned as she fell into a chair. "I don't even want to think about where his girlfriend was spreading it."  
  
"Eww," Kim shuddered. "There's a mental image I didn't need."  
  
"Yeah, you and me both," Alex made a face. "Well, you did warn me."  
  
"I should've warned myself. It's a full moon and it's Saturday night. When those two things coincide everything goes to hell. All the wackos come out of the woodwork. It's like Halloween, only no one's wearing a mask."  
  
"Tell me about it," Doc said as he entered. A rookie was behind him, looking like he was about to be sick. "Hey Martin, go up and lay down. The company is out on a job so the beds are free."  
  
"Yeah, good idea," the young man mumbled as he went upstairs.  
  
"You look tired Doc," Alex observed as the man sat down. "Dare I assume your shift went along the same lines as ours did?"  
  
"The highlight was the guys from the art school doing still life in the park."  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Kim asked.  
  
"Nude still life."  
  
"It's fifteen degrees outside," Alex exclaimed.  
  
"Shall I elaborate on what extremities were frostbitten?"  
  
"Eww," Kim said again. "That's it. I'm outta here. Shift's over and I need a hot shower and a cold drink. Not necessarily in that order."  
  
"Night Kim," Alex said. "Wait, aren't you gonna change?"  
  
"No," she called over her shoulder. When she reached the street she spotted Bosco coming out of the house. She waved at him and smiled. "You look like I feel," she said once she was in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry you feel this bad," Bosco teased.  
  
Kim smiled.  
  
Bosco looked her over, "You still on the clock?"  
  
"Didn't feel like changing. You feel like a beer?"  
  
"God yes."  
  
"And then home, a hot shower, and bed."  
  
"I will be joining you for all three," Bosco grinned.  
  
"Really?" Kim smiled at him. "I thought you were tired."  
  
"I think I'm getting a second wind."  
  
"What a coincidence," Kim said with a secretive smile. "So am I." 


	112. Personality Clashes

"Can you do me a favor?" Kim asked Bosco over the phone.  
  
"Sure. What's up?" he asked her, puzzled. It wasn't often that she called him during work, particularly when they were both working since they usually saw each other at least a few times during the day.  
  
"I just got a call from school. Joey's in the Principal's Office," she said with an edge to her voice.  
  
"Ummmm. What happened? Is he okay?" Bosco asked, as Faith looked over at him from behind the steering wheel of the RMP.  
  
"Yeah, he's okay. But, he was mouthing off to his teacher and he finally had enough and sent him to the Office. I really don't know what else to do," she said, referring to her numerous conversations with Joey over the last couple of weeks in response to letters and phone calls from his teacher.  
  
"Did you talk to Jimmy about it?" Bosco asked her.  
  
"Yeah. He thinks it's no big deal. He said he'd talk to him and I think he did, but I don't think Joey's listening to anyone. Jimmy's away this week and I don't know what to do. I'm afraid if I go to school, I'm going to lose it," she said.  
  
"You want me to go talk to him this time?" Bosco offered, looking at his watch. They had about a half hour left of their shift.  
  
"Well, they're not gonna let him go on the bus. Someone has to come pick him up and speak with the Principal. I hate to do this to you, but I really don't know what else to do and I'm so angry at him right now that I wouldn't say the right things anyway," she said, sorry for dumping this in his lap.  
  
"It's not a problem. Call the school and tell them I'll be there in about a half hour, okay?" he said.  
  
"Okay. Thanks, Babe. I owe you," Kim said.  
  
"Remember that tonight," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice.  
  
"Yeah. Unless I'm in jail for homicide," she joked back. "Thanks. Love you."  
  
"Uh huh. Okay. We'll see you at home," he responded, hanging up the phone.  
  
"Everything okay?" Faith asked as he put his phone away.  
  
"Joey's been getting in trouble at school. It's just this one teacher. I guess he mouthed off and this time got sent to the Office. They won't let him go unless someone comes to get him and Kim's so mad she can't even see straight right now," Bosco explained.  
  
"Where's Jimmy?" Faith asked, heading back toward the Precinct.  
  
"Out of town. He hasn't been much help with it over the past two weeks anyway. I'm gonna give it a shot. Any suggestions?" he asked his partner.  
  
"Just keep calm. Don't lose your temper. Remember what it was like when you were his age. Maybe it's just a personality clash between him and this one teacher. It happens sometimes," Faith explained.  
  
"Okay. Thanks," he said, nodding his head.  
  
A couple of minutes later they were in the locker room and getting changed. Bosco grabbed his jacket and headed out. "See you tomorrow," he called over to Faith.  
  
"Yeah. Good luck," she said to him.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Bosco walked into the school and followed the sign to the Office. He walked in and saw Joey sitting in a chair along the wall. He nodded to him and said lightly, "Hey, buddy. Who do I have to see to get you sprung?"  
  
"Mr. Olsen. He's in there. Just knock, I guess," Joey said, looking at the floor.  
  
"Okay. Sit tight, okay?" Bosco said, walking over to the door that Joey had indicated.  
  
"Where's Mom?" Joey asked and Bosco stopped.  
  
"She's working - tied up on a call. Hang tight and I'll be right back," he said, not wanting to worry him about Kim being mad right now. The boy nodded and sat back in the chair as Bosco knocked on the door.  
  
The door opened and Mr. Olsen reached out with his hand to shake Bosco's. "Ken Olsen," he said, introducing himself.  
  
Bosco returned the handshake, "Maurice Boscorelli. I'm Joey's step dad."  
  
"Yes, your wife called to tell me you were coming in. Why don't we have a seat in here," he said, inviting Bosco into his office. "We'll be out in just a few minutes, Joseph," the Principal said to Joey.  
  
"Yes, Sir," Joey replied as Bosco looked at him and gave him a wink.  
  
After they were both seated, Mr. Olsen began, "It's nice to finally meet you. Joey speaks very highly of both his Dad and you. He's very proud of what both of you do."  
  
"Thank you. I guess it's when they get older that having a police officer coming to pick you up cramps your style," Bosco joked, getting a chuckle from the Principal.  
  
"I'm afraid that it's parents in general that cramp their style. I have a boy and two girls and I'm cramping their style all the time," he said. "Well, I'm assuming that Mrs. Boscorelli told you what's been going on the last couple of weeks."  
  
"Yes, we've both discussed it with Joey. I really don't understand what's going on," Bosco told him.  
  
"Well, he's doing wonderfully in all his other classes. It just seems to be this class that he's having problems with. His teacher, Mr. Morgan, has told me that Joey is a bright boy. He does 'okay' with his grades in this class; however, Mr. Morgan feels he's capable of doing much better. He's been disturbing the class by speaking out of turn or while Mr. Morgan is trying to instruct. He talks with the other kids, thereby hindering their time to learn," he said, pausing to give Bosco a chance to respond.  
  
"Yes. Both my wife and I have spoken at length about this, both with Joey's Dad and with Joey. There's really is nothing going on at home that I can see that would be causing this. I know that Joey has told us that he feels that Mr. Morgan is picking on him. Is it possible that this is just a personality conflict?" Bosco suggested, using Faith's suggestion.  
  
Mr. Olsen seemed to be mulling this idea over. "It's possible. I'll speak with Mr. Morgan and maybe you can speak with Joey to see if maybe it's as simple as that. If so, then maybe we can just make a teacher change and all will be well. Although, if handled properly, this may be a good opportunity to show Joey that sometimes we just have to make the best of a difficult situation and get along with people we don't necessarily agree with," Mr. Olsen said, standing up.  
  
Bosco stood up and shook hands again. "We'll speak with Joey and hopefully be able to come to some kind of understanding. Thank you for your time."  
  
"Thanks for coming in," Mr. Olsen said, opening the door and walking Bosco out to the hallway where Joey was still sitting with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Well, Joseph. I think we're all done for today. Why don't you go home and discuss things with your parents and I'll talk to Mr. Morgan and we'll start fresh on Monday, okay?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry you had to leave work to come to pick me up, Bosco," Joey said, looking up at him.  
  
Bosco reached out and tousled his hair. "We'll, talk, Joey. We'll figure it out. I told you I'm here for whenever you need me and sometimes even when you don't."  
  
"Goodnight," Bosco said to Mr. Olsen and he picked up Joey's book bag and they headed out the door. "Whatta you say I call your Mom and tell her that you and me are going to stop off and get some pizza for dinner? It can be a guy's night and we can talk."  
  
"Okay," Joey said, brightening at the suggestion.  
  
"Okay," Bosco said, taking out his cell phone and calling Kim at home.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It was 9:30 at night when Joey was finally settled into bed. They let him stay up a little later on the weekends as long as there was nothing going on the next day. Kim came in from getting some laundry out of the dryers in the laundry room and sat on the couch next to him and started folding it.  
  
"So, how'd your little talk go?" she asked him.  
  
"Okay. I was talking to Faith before I went over to the school and she had a suggestion. I talked to Mr. Olsen and we couldn't really come up with what the problem might be, so I asked him about Faith's suggestion," he said, pausing.  
  
"So, what did she suggest?" Kim asked, interested.  
  
"Well, she said that maybe it's just a matter of conflicting personalities. I mean, think about it. We deal with people everyday that we just don't get along with - for no reason in particular," he explained.  
  
"That's a good thought," Kim said, mulling the idea over. "So what did Mr. Olsen say?" she asked.  
  
"Well, he said he'd talk to Mr. Morgan and I told him we'd talk to Joey and see if that was the problem," Bosco told her.  
  
"And, did he say anything while you were eating dinner?" Kim asked, hoping that they'd finally reached the root of the problem.  
  
"Not much. But, from what he did say, I'd say it's a very strong possibility that's the problem. Now, do we switch teachers or do we use this as a way to help him learn that sometimes in life we all have to deal with people we just don't see eye-to-eye with?" Bosco asked.  
  
"Well, there's only like three months left of school. If we switched him, then he'd have to get used to a whole new teacher. I guess this is as good a time as any for him to learn that lesson," Kim said, breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn't something more serious.  
  
She finished folding the laundry and sat back before putting the clothes away. Bosco nudged her and said, "Now, about that payback we were discussing earlier?"  
  
She leaned in closer to him and just before she kissed him said, "Well, you've certainly earned it. Thanks for taking care of this one."  
  
He kissed her back and as they started to intensify their intimacy, he replied, "Well, I have to admit that I'm only in it for the fringe benefits." 


	113. There'll Be Days Like These

Kim put her keys down on the hall table before she locked the door behind her. She could hear the low sound of the TV as she took off her jacket and walked into the living room.  
  
"Hey, you're up," she said to Bosco.  
  
He looked up. "Yeah. I couldn't sleep."  
  
"Hmm," Kim took a seat beside him and kissed him. "You look like you had about as good a day as I did."  
  
"I'm sorry your day was that bad," Bosco smiled a little. "How's Davis?"  
  
"He's fine. He just got the wind knocked out of him. Is there any dinner left?"  
  
"Yeah. We had lasagna."  
  
"Your mom's recipe?" Kim asked hopefully.  
  
"Yeah. Didn't the firehouse cook tonight?" He asked as Kim got up and went into the kitchen.  
  
"Yes. Jimmy made his mushroom meatloaf."  
  
"Is that as gross as it sounds?"  
  
"Yes," Kim said emphatically. "So, you wanna talk about it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Whatever isn't letting you sleep."  
  
Bosco managed a small smile, "You know me too well."  
  
"It goes both ways," Kim said and Bosco could hear the smile in her voice. "So?"  
  
"I went to see Faith today."  
  
"Really? Why?"  
  
"I just wanted things back to normal with us. I thought if I went over there and we talked it would happen."  
  
"I thought things were back to normal," Kim said as she came out of the kitchen, after she'd nuked a piece of lasagna, and sat down next to him.  
  
"They are and they aren't, ya know? Even when we're talking there's this distance. I just wanted to get rid of it."  
  
"So, what happened?" Kim asked, her mouth full.  
  
"And you wonder why Joey does that?"  
  
"Stop changing the subject."  
  
"She wouldn't let me in because she was waiting for Emily and they were going out. I tried to make her see my side but she said that partners don't lie to each other."  
  
"Which made you mad 'cause she's lied to you before," Kim guessed.  
  
"Yeah. But when I pointed that out, she said that it was about her personal, private life."  
  
"Still lying," Kim said quietly.  
  
"Don't do that. Don't come down on her for me. I'm hard enough on her for both of us," Bosco told her.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"Emily came home so she and Faith left," he finished as he tilted his head back and rested it on the couch. He rolled his head to look at Kim. "So, why'd your day suck?"  
  
"Well, an infant almost died from an overdose of acetaminophen, her father was impaled trying to get her to the hospital, her mother, who is schizophrenic, almost jumped off of a building with the baby, Ty nearly fell off a building, and, oh, Carlos is being terminated."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. The bosses are settling with that girl's family and as part of it, Carlos has to be removed from duty, permanently."  
  
"Damn," Bosco sighed. "I was really hoping things would work out."  
  
"So was I," Kim laid her plate aside. She curled up next to Bosco. "Why do we do this again?"  
  
"'Cause we hate ourselves," Bosco kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Oh right," Kim giggled. "I hope tomorrow's better."  
  
"It can't be worse."  
  
"Don't say that," Kim said. "Cause the minute you think it can't get any worse, it does."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." 


	114. Lost

The young girl had been following Kim and Bosco for a while now as they walked through the park. Kim and Bosco hadn't noticed at first, but Bosco had caught sight of her just a short time ago as she leaned against a tree about five feet from them. Now, here she was near them again as they joined hands and enjoyed the sunshine.  
  
They had about two hours before Joey got home from school but Catherine was going to pick Joey up because they both had to work tonight. They had dropped Johnny off to Catherine already because he needed his nap.  
  
Kim caught Bosco looking casually over his shoulder out of the corner of her eye. "That better not be some hot chick you're checking out, Boscorelli," she said casually.  
  
"Actually, I was just trying to get a better look at that killer ass you have, Boscorelli," Bosco quipped and received Kim's foot against his backside as they continued to walk.  
  
"Seriously, what're you looking at? You're not in 'cop mode' already, are you?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Cop mode? What the heck is that? Anyway, I was just noticing that young girl that's following us. She's been there every time I turn around for the past half hour or so, but she looks away as soon as I turn," he told her. Kim casually turned around to look behind them and noticed the girl that he was talking about.  
  
"She seems a little young to be hanging around the park by herself. You don't recognize her?" Kim asked him and he shook his head.  
  
"Do you recognize her?" Bosco asked her and she too shook her head.  
  
"Let's sit down here on the bench and see if she comes over. Maybe she's in trouble or something," Kim suggested. They walked over to an empty bench and sat down, leaving some space at the end of the bench in case the girl came over.  
  
Kim watched some birds chasing each other on the grass across from them while Bosco put his head back to absorb the sunshine. He felt a slight nudge and then Kim's voice in a whisper, "She's making her way over, don't move."  
  
After a few more moments, Bosco heard Kim say, "Hi. How are you?" He opened his eyes and brought his head forward to look at the girl. She stood alongside the bench, looking at the ground. Kim and Bosco both noticed the girl's disheveled appearance.  
  
"Are you here by yourself, or is your Mom or Dad with you?" Bosco asked in a friendly tone. He estimated the girl to be about eight or nine. The girl shook her head slightly.  
  
"No? You're here by yourself?" he asked her and she nodded.  
  
"Are you lost?" Kim asked.  
  
"No," the girl said simply. "My name is Amanda."  
  
"Hi, Amanda. My name is Kim and this is my husband, Bosco," Kim said, indicating Bosco.  
  
"I know you," the little girl said timidly to Bosco.  
  
"You do? How do you know me?" Bosco asked her, smiling so that he didn't scare her off.  
  
"From school. You came to talk to my class one day," the girl answered. Bosco remembered the time that the Lieutenant was ticked at him for something and made him fill in for one of the other officers that handled the school programs.  
  
"And you remember me from that long ago? I'm impressed. So, what're you doing here today? No school?" he asked her.  
  
"I didn't go to school today. Or yesterday either," she said, and Kim noticed a glassy look to her eyes, like they were tearing.  
  
"Why not, Amanda? Are you sick?" she asked the girl. Amanda shook her head.  
  
"No. I'm trying to take care of Momma, but she won't answer me," the girl said finally.  
  
"Where's your Mom?" Bosco asked, sitting forward on the bench. "Maybe we can help you take care of her."  
  
"Daddy said not to call anyone to help. He said that Momma needed to rest. I just recognized you while you were walking and I wanted to talk to someone," she said.  
  
"How long has your Mom been resting?" Kim asked, growing more and more concerned.  
  
"Since yesterday. But, Daddy said to leave her alone before he left. They had a fight," she answered.  
  
"Did Daddy hurt your Mom?" Bosco asked, trying to keep his temper in check. The little girl nodded her head.  
  
"Yeah, but he doesn't mean it," Amanda said.  
  
"Why don't you show me where your Mom's resting," Kim said to the girl, standing up. "I can see if she needs anything. Maybe she's hungry. Have you eaten today?"  
  
"No. I don't know. Daddy said to leave Momma alone," the girl said, slightly afraid.  
  
"It's okay. We won't bother her. We'll just check on her together, okay?" Bosco said, standing up. The little girl agreed and led the way down the trail near some trees. Bosco and Kim could tell by the positioning of the woman that she wasn't just resting. Kim bent over and felt for a pulse on the woman, finding none. She looked up at Bosco and shook her head, indicating that the woman was dead.  
  
"Kim, why don't you take Amanda over and get her an ice cream. I'll stay here with her Mom," Bosco said, taking out his cell phone as Kim led the girl away.  
  
"This is Boscorelli, Badge Number 3379, from the 55th Precinct. I'm in Central Park at Park Avenue. I found an apparent homicide victim. Start some units, the Sergeant and Crime Scene to my location. I'll stand-by here," Bosco reported.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim kept Amanda away from the area while the police department processed the scene and transported the woman's body to the morgue. Now all that was left was to talk with the little girl and try to find out what happened and possibly where the girl's father could be found.  
  
Bosco walked over toward the edge of the park where Kim was with Amanda. He had a woman from Child Services with him. She would take Amanda and find her someone to stay with until they were able to find any family to take care of her.  
  
Bosco introduced her to the woman from Child Services and watched as the woman and young girl made there way over to her car.  
  
"Did she say anything else?" Bosco asked Kim.  
  
"No. I think she knows that her Mom is more than just sick, but I'm not sure it's sunken in yet," Kim told him.  
  
"I wanna catch this bastard," Bosco said through a clenched jaw as he took Kim's hand and they headed toward his mustang to get to work. 


	115. And

"You're quiet," Alex said to Kim after they had eaten dinner. Jimmy was cleaning up in the kitchen.  
  
"Just thinking," Kim said absently as she traced patterns on the table.  
  
"Anything interesting?"  
  
"This morning Bosco and I were in the park and this little girl was following us. We sat down and she came over. She recognized Bosco from when he talked to her class a while ago."  
  
"So, what? She wanted to talk to him?"  
  
"Yes and no. She said that her mother was resting and her daddy said not to bother her. This was after they had a fight."  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
"Yeah. She showed us where she was after a little convincing. The mother was dead."  
  
"Oh man," Alex winced. "How old was the girl?"  
  
"About Joey's age."  
  
"Poor thing. Why do people do this kind of thing?"  
  
"Some people are just wired differently. It bugs me to think that there are people in this world that get their jollies by smacking their family around."  
  
"Yeah me, too," Alex said.  
  
Kim looked over at Jimmy and smiled a little.  
  
"What?" Alex said.  
  
"No matter how badly he botches up his relationships with women, he'd never raise a hand to any of them."  
  
"He's one of the good ones," Alex nodded.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The women looked at each other, "Most of the time."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim lay on her side watching TV. Every few minutes she looked down to the end of the couch at Bosco.  
  
Finally Bosco looked at her, "What?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You keep looking at me like you wanna ask me something. What's up?"  
  
"Well, since you asked," Kim sat up. "Do you ever think about having more kids?"  
  
"Sometimes. Why? Are you pregnant?"  
  
"No," Kim shook her head.  
  
"Do you want to try?"  
  
"Not exactly. I called DCFS today when I got back to the firehouse after that car accident. The little girl, Amanda, doesn't have any other family. She just has her father and it's pretty much agreed that she can't go with him."  
  
"Kim, do you want to adopt her?"  
  
"Yeah, I do. I think she needs us Bosco. I think that's why we were the ones she found today." She studied his face. "You don't like the idea."  
  
"No, I do. I actually thought about it for a little while today. I just didn't think you'd want to."  
  
"I've always wanted a daughter," Kim said, smiling. "I love my boys but I think it'd be nice to have someone in the house who isn't loaded with testosterone."  
  
"Not to mention you'd have someone to follow in your footsteps and be a paramedic. Joey will be a firefighter like his old man, and Johnny will be a cop like me."  
  
She covered his mouth, "Don't even think it. If that happens I won't be able to sleep at night."  
  
"I'll be there to keep you entertained," Bosco smiled.  
  
"I know you will. Before we go any further with this, we should talk to Joey. He might not like the idea."  
  
"I think he'd like having a little sister even if she is pretty close to his own age."  
  
Kim smiled, "You're the best."  
  
"I know," Bosco grinned.  
  
"Smart ass." 


	116. Found

Kim was making lunch for Joey, Johnny and Bosco. "Lunch!" she called down the hall to Bosco who was trying to fix the drain in the bathroom tub. They'd called the landlord, but he was older and wasn't too good about getting things done. He always reimbursed them for supplies when they fixed things themselves - as long as they had the receipts and it was nothing too extravagant.  
  
She put the plates down on the table in front of the kids and Johnny immediately dug in with his fingers. "Barbarian," Kim said under her breath, just loud enough for Joey to hear and giggle. She looked up as Bosco came into the room and went to the sink to wash his hands. "How goes the repairs?" she asked him.  
  
"Am I going bald? Because, there's enough hair in that drain." he started.  
  
"Whoa! I'm trying to eat here," Kim interrupted. Bosco finished washing his hands and flicked the excess water at Kim.  
  
She finished pouring the drinks as Bosco sat down and then she joined them. After a few minutes, she threw Bosco a look - which confused him totally - and then said to Joey.  
  
"So, Joey. Would you like to maybe have a sister?" Bosco then caught on to the look that she'd given him a moment ago.  
  
"What?" Joey asked, not looking up.  
  
"I asked if you liked the idea of possibly having a sister?" Kim repeated. Bosco looked at Joey, trying to gauge his facial reaction.  
  
"You're going to have another baby?" he asked, looking over at Johnny who was now wearing most of his lunch.  
  
"No," Bosco said. "We know of this little girl - she's about your age - who lost her parents. She doesn't have any other family and we were thinking of maybe trying to adopt her," he said, lowering his head to see Joey's face. "What do you think of that idea?"  
  
"What happened to her parents?" Joey asked.  
  
"Well," Kim explained. "Her Mom died and her father's, uh, well, he's not around anymore."  
  
"She's my age?" he asked again.  
  
"Yup," Bosco answered.  
  
Joey looked at Johnny again. "You mean she doesn't wear diapers and she knows how to eat right?"  
  
"Yup," Bosco asked, laughing as he reached over to remove the jelly from just above Johnny's left eye.  
  
"Then it's cool, I guess," Joey said. "When is she going to come live with us?"  
  
"Well, it's not that simple, Joey," Kim said. "We wanted to check with you first to see how you felt about it. Now, we'll have to talk to the Department of Child and Family Services - or DCFS - to see what we have to do."  
  
Joey nodded and then Bosco cleared his throat. "It means you'll probably have to double up with your brother here." Joey quickly looked up at Johnny.  
  
"Mom? I love Johnny and all, but he smells bad a lot," Joey said and Kim and Bosco started to laugh.  
  
"Well, you weren't any bed of roses at that age either," Kim responded. "How about this? You can share your room with Amanda - that's her name - until Johnny gets older and doesn't 'smell' so much. We'll get you some bunk beds and you can have the top bunk," she offered. Joey brightened considerably.  
  
"She'll have to leave my baseball card collection alone," he countered.  
  
"Deal," Bosco said.  
  
Bosco looked at Kim. "I'll call DCFS this afternoon." 


	117. Old Feelings

"Kim? Hey, Taylor said you were looking for me," Jimmy said when she and Doc pulled up later that afternoon.  
  
"Yeah, I was," Kim shot a look at Doc. "I'll be right back Doc."  
  
"Sure," he nodded.  
  
Kim motioned for Jimmy to follow her to the basketball court near the back of the building.  
  
"Everything okay?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Yeah. I thought I should tell you that Bosco and I are looking into adopting a little girl."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Were you listening to me and Alex the other day when we were talking about that little girl?"  
  
"The one you and Bosco found in the park?"  
  
"Right," Kim nodded. "She doesn't have anyone else. I don't want to see her get lost in the system and be the one to try and get her back after she o.d.'s in five years cause she didn't have parents to support her so she turned to drugs."  
  
"Kim," Jimmy gave her a look.  
  
"Okay, I'm being over dramatic but Jimmy, Bosco and I want to do this."  
  
"How's Joey feel about it?"  
  
"He's okay with it. When we started talking about it he was worried that I was pregnant and that he'd have to deal with another person who smelled bad most of the time and who didn't know how to feed themselves. The only thing he's worried about with regards to Amanda is that she leave his baseball card collection alone," Kim smiled. "Anyway we've got a preliminary interview this week and then we're going to take Amanda for the weekend so she can see if she likes us and if she can adapt to living with us and the boys."  
  
Jimmy nodded.  
  
Kim looked at him carefully. "You don't approve?"  
  
"It doesn't matter what I think Kim."  
  
"I'd still like to know what you are thinking."  
  
"You and Bosco are solid, that's what I'm thinking."  
  
"You sound surprised. Haven't we always been solid?" Kim frowned.  
  
"Yeah, but.." Jimmy wasn't sure he should continue what he was saying.  
  
"But, what?"  
  
"Nothing. Just some old thoughts I used to have. Nothing you need to worry about," Jimmy assured her.  
  
"If you say so," Kim said, giving him a strange look. "I'll see you later, Jimmy."  
  
"Bye."  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
Kim looked out the window of the Mustang as Bosco drove them home.  
  
"What's wrong?" Bosco asked after they'd driven in silence for ten minutes.  
  
"Nothing," Kim said not looking at him.  
  
"Kim," Bosco prodded.  
  
She looked over at him and smiled a little, "It's nothing. I just keep thinking about something Jimmy said today."  
  
"Did he try and convince you that trying to adopt Amanda was a bad idea?"  
  
"No. He was surprised that we were attempting to do it but." Kim trailed off.  
  
"But what?"  
  
"He said you and I were solid. He sounded surprised."  
  
"Maybe the idea that a man and a woman can stay faithful to each other and want to spend their lives with only each other surprises him every now and again."  
  
Kim sighed, "I don't know. Sometimes I get the feeling that he's- it's silly."  
  
"He's still in love with you," Bosco said.  
  
Kim looked at him. "You sounded way to calm just now."  
  
"I'm calm because I don't have to worry about Jimmy Doherty," Bosco looked at her. "He can be in love with you all he wants but you're in love with me."  
  
"Yes, I am," Kim nodded.  
  
"And as long as that's the case, he can continue to walk upright," Bosco said, smiling when he heard Kim's laughter. 


	118. Visits

"Nervous?" Bosco asked Kim as they walked into the DCFS offices.  
  
"A little, but I don't know why," Kim replied, squeezing his hand.  
  
"It's normal," he assured her. "I'm a nervous wreck."  
  
"You? You're never nervous," she said in surprise.  
  
"You'd be surprised," he replied under his breath as they walked into the office and saw Amanda sitting there with the social worker.  
  
The little girl saw them coming through the door and broke into a wide smile. Kim and Bosco hurried over to where she sat because it looked like she was going to jump out of the chair at them, but she was trying to be so good.  
  
"Hi, Amanda. How are you?" Kim asked her, bending down in front of her to greet her on her level. Bosco squatted down next to Kim and said hello also.  
  
"Hi!" Amanda said brightly.  
  
"You look very pretty today," Bosco commented as he noticed her new dress and shoes.  
  
"Thank you. Mrs. Johnson brought them for me," Amanda answered looking over at the social worker with a smile.  
  
"Well, you look very nice. Are we all set?" Kim asked, looking up at Mrs. Johnson.  
  
"I think so. I have your phone numbers and you have mine in case there are any problems," Mrs. Johnson answered standing up.  
  
"Okay. Let's go have some fun and meet Joey and Johnny. They're looking forward to it," Bosco said and the little girl picked up her bag and reached up to hold Bosco's hand. Kim watched as Bosco's eyes seemed to light up at the gesture. He reached over and took the bag from Amanda.  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Johnson," Kim said as she took Amanda's other hand and they headed out of the office.  
  
"Have fun, Amanda. I'll see you in two days, but you can call me whenever you want," Mrs. Johnson said.  
  
"Bye, Mrs. Johnson!" Amanda called over her shoulder.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Okay, so this is where we live. We're on the second floor," Kim said as Bosco opened the door and allowed the two of them to enter first. "Just go up these stairs and turn left."  
  
Kim went first and Amanda followed, with Bosco bringing up the rear. Kim opened the door and Amanda was greeted by Johnny, Joey, Catherine and Rose. Johnny immediately crawled over toward Amanda and used her legs to pull himself up and balance against her. The two of them immediately clicked together and were inseparable for much of the next couple of hours. Kim and Bosco introduced Amanda to Joey, Catherine and Rose.  
  
"Want me to show you your room?" Joey asked Amanda.  
  
"Okay," she answered shyly. Joey grabbed her bag and she followed him down the hallway and into his "old" room. After a few moments, Bosco and Kim walked down the hallway to see how things were going. They stopped just outside the door and listened.  
  
"So, you can put your clothes in here. This is how the light works. If you look out the window and lean over this way, you can see our school from here. It's not bad. There's some real jerks, but I'll show you who to stay away from. And, if you need me, I'll be right across the hall with Johnny. There's only one thing that you need to know," they heard Joey telling her. "You can't touch my baseball cards. There right here, but just because I don't want them near Johnny, okay?" he said indicating a shelf in the closet.  
  
"Okay, Joey. I promise I won't touch them. Thank you for letting me use your room," Amanda said.  
  
"It's your room now," Joey said. "I'm glad you're here." Kim looked at Bosco with tear-filled eyes and noticed that Bosco's eyes seemed slightly teary too. They walked back up the hallway toward the living room.  
  
"What a great kid," Bosco said in her ear as Joey and Amanda joined them.  
  
"Ready to go get some lunch?" Rose asked the group. She had prepared a nice welcoming party despite the fact that it wasn't official yet and that Amanda had to return to DCFS on Monday.  
  
Everyone gathered their things and headed out the door. 


	119. Please Lie

"So, how was the weekend?" Doc asked Kim when she was done changing.  
  
"It went okay. Oh, by the way, I put you down as a character reference. I hope you don't mind."  
  
"No, not at all," Doc smiled.  
  
"Thanks. Please lie."  
  
"Kim," Doc laughed.  
  
"I know, I know, I'm being silly."  
  
"Yeah you are," Doc nodded. "Did you put down anyone else?"  
  
"Yeah. We both needed two people that weren't family so I put you and Jimmy down. Don't ask me why I chose Jimmy. I guess it's just that he's known me a lot longer and a lot better then I will ever admit to."  
  
"What about Bosco? Whom'd he put down?"  
  
"Davis and Faith, I think," Kim said before taking a sip of water.  
  
"That reminds me, are Faith and Bosco okay?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe it was me but I seemed to notice an angry vibe last time we were all together."  
  
"Oh, Faith is probably just a little ticked off at him for some comment he made. He's gotten a lot better but he still puts his foot in his mouth every now and again," Kim smiled ruefully.  
  
"I've noticed that about him, yeah," Doc nodded.  
  
"Haven't we all?" Kim asked wryly.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"Hey Davis, you might be getting a call from the DCFS," Bosco said to the fellow police officer as they left role call.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I put you down as a character reference."  
  
"Me?" The taller man raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"Yeah. I figure you're one of the only people who won't use the words cocky son-of-a bitch in your description."  
  
"You forgot glory hog," Ricky Sanchez said walking past on his way to get a radio.  
  
"And self-absorbed," Jeff Garrison chimed in.  
  
"I am not self-absorbed," Bosco said. "You can't be when you have kids."  
  
"He's got a point," Linda Tepper said. "I mean the glory hog is accurate but he's not self-absorbed."  
  
"Thanks Tepper," Bosco smiled.  
  
"Sure. I'm just glad you didn't put me down as a character reference. You didn't right?"  
  
"No," Bosco shook his head. "You're off the hook." He turned back to Davis, "Anyway, do me a favor? When they call, please lie."  
  
Davis laughed. "About what?"  
  
"I don't know. What kinds of questions get asked when people are asking about your general character? You're the one who almost went to law school, you tell me."  
  
Davis thought it over for a minute and then nodded, "I'll lie, I promise. You better tell whoever else you put down to lie too."  
  
"I will once we're in the RMP," Bosco said shooting a look over at Faith. They hadn't talked much since the day at her apartment. He winced thinking about it. That day had been anything but pleasant. He'd thought long and hard about putting her down as a character reference considering the nature of their fight, but, when all was said and done, to him she was still his best friend and he missed her. 


	120. Tempers

"As you probably know, we've talked to the people that you listed as references on your adoption application for Amanda," Mrs. Johnson started. "And everyone gave glowing recommendations, which I was not surprised to hear," she continued with a smile.  
  
"But.?" Bosco asked, sensing that something was about to follow.  
  
Kim sensed it as well and gave Bosco a nervous look as he reached over and took hold of her hand.  
  
"And the visit here to your home went well. You've set up a wonderful room for Amanda and she and Joey seem to get along well. And Amanda can't stop gushing over little Johnny," Mrs. Johnson continued as Kim and Bosco tensed further.  
  
"But.?" Bosco repeated.  
  
"Well, we had some concerns with your work schedules and child care when you're both working," the woman said, trying not to sound too critical.  
  
"Well, we both work the third watch, but we don't have the seniority yet to move to days," Kim started to explain.  
  
"We are both here for the kids when they get up in the morning. We get them off to school after a good breakfast and we're here with them all weekend long. If we need to take time off from work for any school functions or doctor appointments, at least one of us is there, more often both of us," Bosco said. "So, I don't understand the problem. Either my mother or Kim's mother take care of the kids when we're working and they're both very dedicated to the kids. They're each looking forward to having a little girl to look after and pamper."  
  
"I'm sure that's true, Officer Boscorelli," Mrs. Johnson said.  
  
"Then, what's the problem? I'm sure we're not the first adoptive parents that each have jobs. You've seen Joey and Johnny. You know how well Joey's doing in school and Johnny's already trying to count things.." Kim said, but was interrupted.  
  
"I'm sure that you're both very dedicated to the task of taking in and caring for Amanda. I have no doubt about that at all. It's just that. well. you have a very dangerous job, Officer Boscorelli, and both of your jobs are very stressful, and there is potential danger with your job also, Mrs. Boscorelli," she replied.  
  
"Yes, and anyone riding the bus to their 'office job' could get into an accident or walk in front of a truck too. What's the point?" Bosco asked, trying not to lose his temper.  
  
"Well, there's also the idea of Amanda staying with your mother, Rose Boscorelli, over a bar. We have to take all this into considera.," Mrs. Johnson started when Bosco stood up and began to pace.  
  
"Wait. Let me get this straight. We are a happily married couple, with two children already that we'd lay our lives down for in a heartbeat. We want to take this child, who's mother was murdered by her father - right in front of her - and give her a secure, loving family, and you have a problem with that because we have what YOU consider to be dangerous occupations and because my mother lives above her place of business? My mother does not work during the hours she takes care of these kids and is totally devoted to their well-being. There is a separate entrance to her apartment that has no connection to her TAVERN, by the way - not BAR. She does serve food to people that don't drink as well," Bosco said, and Mrs. Johnson started to stammer.  
  
"Officer Boscorelli, please. I'm just trying to." and she was interrupted by Bosco again.  
  
"No. I want to make sure I have this straight. You would take all that away from this child and put her in a foster home with God knows what kind of people? Because, let me tell you something, Mrs. Johnson. I've been to some of these foster homes during the course of my job, and the majority that I've been to have been enough to screw up more than one kid for the rest of their life," he said, pausing to catch his breath.  
  
"Bosco," Kim interrupted, trying to get him to calm down.  
  
"No, Kim. You and I would fight to the death for this little girl. In just the two days she spent with us this past weekend, she's grown attached to Johnny and Joey and I think to you and me also. And I have to tell you that the feeling is mutual. I'd give my life to protect this kid, and you know you would too. And I don't think that."  
  
"Look, Mrs. Johnson," Kim interrupted, stepping in front of Bosco. "What my husband is trying to say is that we love this little girl and we want to give her the security and love that she deserves and needs to grow up to be a well-adjusted, loving person and be happy. That means getting her the necessary counselors to help her deal with whatever emotional trauma she suffered at the hands of her father or mother. We will do whatever we can to make sure that happens, including fighting DCFS as far as we have to in order to make that happen, including taking DCFS and yourself to court. My mother and Bosco's mother are two of the most loving, generous people in the world. And to tell you the truth, I think - no I know - that Joey and Johnny are better for just having known them. They would do whatever it took to make this adoption of Amanda happen, even if that means leaving their homes every day to come here and take care of these children."  
  
Mrs. Johnson sat down in her chair and looked at the two people standing in front of her. After a moment of looking at the intense looks on both of their faces, she needed no more convincing. Bosco and Kim watched as a wide smile broke out on her face.  
  
"Mrs. Johnson?" Kim asked, hopeful.  
  
"I have no doubt that you are sincere in your intentions to provide a loving, stable home for Amanda and provide her with whatever she needs. And you have just proven to me that which I've known all along. You will do WHATEVER needs to be done to ensure that happens. I will make my recommendations to my supervisors and the judge assigned to this case. You should hear from us within the week," Mrs. Johnson said, gathering her things and standing up. She shook both Kim and Bosco's hands and headed out the door.  
  
Kim and Bosco stood at the door after seeing Mrs. Johnson out. "What the hell just happened?" Bosco asked out loud.  
  
"I think we're going to have a daughter," Kim said excitedly, jumping up and down. Bosco grabbed onto Kim and swung her around, putting her back on the ground and pulling her into a hug.  
  
"Thank, God," Bosco said into her hair as he hugged her.  
  
"I don't think anything, including some drunk puking all over my rig, can ruin my night now," Kim said, as she broke free of Bosco's grasp and headed to the kitchen to turn off the coffee pot and put the snacks she'd set out for Mrs. Johnson away before they both left for work.  
  
As they opened the door to leave for work, Bosco said. "Man, I thought I really blew it when I lost my temper, but I just couldn't hold it back no matter how hard I tried."  
  
"Thank goodness for that Boscorelli temper this time," Kim said.  
  
"Your Zambrano temper didn't do too bad either," Bosco said, pulling the door shut behind them. 


	121. Anxiety

Bosco heard a gasp in the dark. He opened his eyes and the room around him got a little lighter. He turned to the source. "Kimmy?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
He turned onto his side and slid an arm around Kim's waist. "Hey. I heard you wake up. What's wrong?"  
  
"Funky dream," she said quietly.  
  
"You wanna talk about it?" He buried his face in her neck. "Hmm?" he mumbled.  
  
"No. I'm okay. Go back to sleep," Kim reached up and put a hand to the side of his face. She smiled when he kissed her palm. "I love you," she whispered.  
  
"I love you, too," he said. "And I'm here if you change your mind about talking."  
  
"Just you holding me makes everything okay," she assured him. She felt his smile and then a kiss on her shoulder.  
  
Kim listened to Bosco's breathing as he fell back asleep. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and willed herself back to sleep.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
"You did not," Kim said to Alex as they sat in the firehouse.  
  
"I did too," she swore. "And why are you doing that?"  
  
"I'm bored and I'm anxious. I tend to clean when I'm those things," she explained. "You really told Bobby that it was a tradition with you to have a threesome when you had a first time with a guy?"  
  
"Yes and I thought he believed me till he told me that he accepted and that it wouldn't be his first time either. I just stared at him till he started to crack up. Then I realized that he knew I was looking for a way out and I didn't want to hurt his feelings."  
  
"I gotta ask. Did Bobby wanna know which guy you wanted to use?"  
  
"Yes," Alex blushed a little.  
  
"And?"  
  
"Jimmy. I told him I wanted to use Jimmy."  
  
"Oh my God!" Kim shrieked and then she started to laugh. "I would have given anything to see that. I had to be on my honeymoon, right? Man I missed everything."  
  
"Yeah but I think a week in paradise with your husband was well worth a few missed tricks."  
  
Kim smiled, remembering, "Yeah definitely."  
  
"Okay, I know why you're bored. We haven't had a call in forever. But why are you anxious?"  
  
"No reason," Kim said going back to cleaning the stove.  
  
Alex frowned and then her face cleared with sudden understanding. "Oh, right," she nodded.  
  
"What?" Kim looked at her.  
  
"Today's the day right? The day you find out whether or not they're going to let you adopt Amanda."  
  
Kim fidgeted and then sighed. "Yeah today's the day. They're supposed to call Bosco's cell phone and he promised to come here to tell me the news."  
  
"And you're nervous."  
  
"Wouldn't you be? These people hold the future in their hands."  
  
"Kim, you and Bosco are great parents. You would be so good for that little girl. The social worker had to see that."  
  
"You sound like Bosco."  
  
"Thank you," Alex nodded. "It'll work out. You'll see."  
  
"Hope you're right."  
  
"Were you anxious last night?"  
  
"What?" Kim looked at her.  
  
"You look tired. Did you have one of those anxiety dreams? You know where you're naked in a public place?"  
  
Kim laughed a little "My anxiety dreams are a little different but no," she smiled a little before turning her back to Alex.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Bosco stopped the RMP in front of the house. He looked over at Faith, "I'll be right back."  
  
"Sure," she nodded.  
  
Bosco entered the firehouse and headed upstairs. "Hey Taylor, where's Kim?"  
  
"Upstairs. She said she wanted to take a shower."  
  
"She's trying to keep busy."  
  
"Yeah. She cleaned the stove today. Go put her out of her misery Bosco. But first, tell me. What did they say?"  
  
"Love ya Taylor but I gotta tell Kim first. She alone up there?"  
  
"Yeah. The guys are all in there," Alex pointed to the TV room. "Go tell her cause I wanna know too."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Bosco grinned as he headed upstairs. "Kimmy?"  
  
Kim looked up from drying her hair. "Hey. Did you hear from DCFS?"  
  
"Yes. They called a little while ago. I'm at dinner now so I can eat with you guys if it's okay. Faith said she'd eat with Davis."  
  
"Bos, what did they say?" Kim asked anxiously.  
  
"Think Amanda will have any trouble learning to spell Boscorelli?"  
  
"Really?" Kim smiled hopefully.  
  
"They say we can get her tomorrow."  
  
"Oh my God!" Kim leapt into his arms. "I can't believe it."  
  
"Believe it baby," he murmured. "We've got ourselves a daughter." 


	122. Help

"Okay, Amanda. You're all set. Now just remember, if you decide you want to move things around at all - even though we just put Bosco and Joey through the ringer - it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind," Kim told the girl as they finished arranging her room just the way she wanted it. When they'd gotten the word from DCFS that Amanda was theirs, they'd taken her out to pick out her bedroom furniture.  
  
Bosco wiped the sweat from his brow and rolled his eyes at Kim behind Amanda's back. As much as Joey tried to help, he just couldn't lift things very well and Bosco had done most of the moving by himself.  
  
"Thank you," Amanda said timidly. She looked at Joey who was sitting on her bed. "I hope you're not getting any dirt on my new Barbie bedspread." Joey stood up and Kim and Bosco couldn't help but notice the bewilderment on his face.  
  
"Joey? Are you okay?" Kim asked him.  
  
"I've never seen so much pink in my life," he said, eliciting a laugh from Bosco.  
  
"That makes two of us, Buddy. I guess we better get used to it though," he said, draping an arm around Joey's shoulder just as the phone rang and Johnny woke up from his nap.  
  
"I'll get Johnny, you get the phone," Kim said to Bosco and they both moved.  
  
"I'm sorry you got moved out of your room," Amanda apologized to Joey.  
  
"It's okay. I don't mind. Now at least I have someone to play with my own age. So, are you ready to go to school tomorrow?" he said.  
  
"I'm kind of scared," she confessed.  
  
"Well, don't be. I know Mrs. Simmons. She's a really nice teacher and you'll be right across the hall from me," he assured her.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  
Kim had changed Johnny's diaper and was coming out into the hallway. She heard the end of the conversation between Joey and Amanda and continued out to the living room, smiling, as she listened to the tail end of Bosco's phone conversation.  
  
"..No. Sounds like a plan. You think it'll work?" Bosco said to the person on the other end. He listened for a moment and then said, "Okay, after work. No, I won't say anything. Do you need me to bring anything? Okay, see you later," he said, hanging up the phone. He turned to see Kim standing in the living room with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
"Won't say anything about what?" she asked him. He looked at the floor, deciding whether or not he should say anything. He knew that Kim liked Sully and he knew she knew he was having some trouble after Tatiana was killed.  
  
"That was Davis. I'll tell you, but you can't say anything to anyone - not even Alex. Promise?" he asked her.  
  
"Of course," she told him.  
  
"It's about Sully. You know he's been having some problems. Well, Davis, a couple others and me are going to do something to help him. I can't tell you the particulars, but I probably won't be home after work tonight. I can't call you, but I promise you it's nothing dangerous. You just have to trust me," he said, looking her in the eye.  
  
Kim looked at him for a moment. She knew from the look in his eyes that he was telling her the truth. And, she knew it must be important. "Okay. Be careful," she said simply.  
  
"I'm sorry I won't be able to come home tonight. I'll try to be home before Amanda and Joey go off to school. I wish it was a different night, but it's time to do this. It's now or never," he said, walking over and giving her a kiss. He kissed Johnny on the top of the head.  
  
"I know. You better get a shower before you're late for roll call," she told him, glancing at the clock on the wall.  
  
"Thanks," he said and walked down the hall to get ready for work. She watched him grab a towel out of the linen closet and go into the bathroom.  
  
"Looks like its you and me tomorrow, kiddo," she said to Johnny as she went to the kitchen to get him some juice. 


	123. Confessions of the Soul

Bosco looked out at the road as he drove. All he wanted was to go home and see Kim and thank whatever God existed that Paulie Fuentes hadn't pulled the trigger twice the day he shot Bobby. He spared a quick glance at Sully before looking back at the road. He just wanted to hold his wife.  
  
~&~&~&~&~&~  
  
"Alex!"  
  
"What? You chose truth," she pointed out.  
  
"But that's personal," Kim said nervously. What Alex had just asked was not the kind of thing she had in mind when she agreed to play 'Truth or Dare' while they waited for another call.  
  
"Oh, it must be really good if you don't wanna tell me," Alex said with a grin.  
  
"Okay but it doesn't go any further this ambulance."  
  
"I swear," Alex said.  
  
Kim took a deep breath. "The front seat of Bosco's RMP."  
  
"Excuse me?" Alex looked at her. "Are you serious?"  
  
"You asked."  
  
"Oh my God," Alex said. "Really?"  
  
"Oh it gets better," Kim said, smiling. "We got caught on video tape and the restaurant owner gave it to Stick."  
  
"Did they figure out it was Bosco?"  
  
"Yes," Kim nodded. "But they don't know who the girl was. In fact to this day, Faith thinks it was the captain's daughter. She had a crush on him and when she saw him, she called him 'Maurice' so Faith thinks they were closer then they were."  
  
"Oh my God and she never figured out that he wasn't doing the captain's daughter, who was what a few years ago, eighteen?"  
  
"Nineteen. Faith thought it was her birthday present."  
  
"Oh my God!" Alex shrieked, laughing.  
  
Kim had to smile too. She parked the bus in front of the firehouse and got out. Alex followed still laughing. She stopped and pointed, "You've got a visitor. Maybe he wants to fool around."  
  
Kim looked and saw Bosco. "Well he's not working today so we'll have to go with what our second choice was that day."  
  
"Do I wanna know?"  
  
"The back of Boy-55-3," Kim said innocently. "By the way, get your thinking cap on. You have the same question to answer when I get inside."  
  
"I didn't choose truth," Alex protested.  
  
"You will," Kim assured her. "'Cause the dare? It's to kiss Jimmy in front of all the guys."  
  
"That's just- ew!" Alex said as Kim walked towards Bosco.  
  
"Hey," Kim said when she got to him.  
  
"Hey. What's with Taylor?"  
  
"I'll tell you later. You okay?"  
  
"I am now," Bosco hugged Kim. "Any chance you can fake sick and come home with me?"  
  
"I'd love it but we're short handed already," Kim said. "Sorry."  
  
"It's okay. The kids?"  
  
"Mom's spoiling them. She said she was taking them all shopping for something to wear on Easter. Then she said we should take them to get a picture down so she can hang up a picture of her three beautiful grandchildren and let the neighbors see and be jealous."  
  
"I'll go see if they're back yet. If they are, I'll take 'em home and feed them."  
  
"Okay. I'll be home as soon as I possibly can. I promise."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. Because I have a feeling that you have a lot to tell me."  
  
"Just how grateful I am that you love me," Bosco smiled.  
  
"Always Copper," Kim teased.  
  
~^~^~^~^~  
  
"Wow," Kim said after Bosco had told her the whole story. "But he's gonna be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, hopefully," Bosco said. He watched Kim lean back against the headboard. "What?"  
  
"Suddenly very grateful nobody offered me a drink after Bobby died."  
  
"Yeah me too, considering you were pregnant with Johnny. Ow!" he yelped when Kim pinched his calf.  
  
"You know what I mean," she said.  
  
"Yeah, I know," he nodded. He moved and then laid his head down on her lap. "It was strange to see Sully like that."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He was just so," Bosco couldn't think of a word to describe the gruff cop's demeanor.  
  
"Human?" Kim supplied.  
  
"Yeah, something like that. And he was scared too."  
  
"We all have our demons. Sometimes they're just a little more present then other times," she said softly.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"I don't have to," she said, stroking his hair.  
  
"No, you don't," he agreed. 


	124. A Cry in the Night

The scream filled the silent darkness and Bosco and Kim both jumped up out of bed. At first Bosco thought he was just hearing Sully's screams from the cabin and then it came again.  
  
"Nooooooooooo! Daddy! Please don't!" came the shrill voice. "Mommy! Mommy!"  
  
Bosco and Kim ran out of their room, nearly colliding with each other and throwing light switches at the same time. The screams were coming from Amanda's room. They both went in and saw her thrashing about on the bed, the wet hair matted to her sweaty face. Kim rushed to her bedside as Bosco turned on her light.  
  
"Amanda. Wake up, honey. It's just a dream," Kim said in a soothing tone as she gathered Amanda up and cradled her against her. Kim talked soothingly for another moment and then Amanda was fully awake and sobbing. "It's okay. Tell me what the dream was about. It was just a dream," Kim said as Bosco sat on the edge of the bed stroking her hair.  
  
"I can't. It's too scary," she cried. "I want my Mommy," she said as Kim felt the child shake from her sobs.  
  
"I know you do, Sweetie. But, your Mom can't be here for you, no matter how much she wants to be. She can only be here," Kim said, pointing to Amanda's heart.  
  
"Why did he do that? Why did Daddy have to do that?" she asked and Kim didn't have an answer.  
  
"Sometimes, people do things that they don't mean to do," Bosco said, tucking Amanda's hair behind her ear and moving closer. "Sometimes, people just can't help it. They have problems that are so big, they can't control their frustration and they can't stop themselves. They don't even realize they need to get some help until it's too late," he said as Joey came in behind them.  
  
"Mom?" Joey said quietly. "Johnny's crying," he said as Kim and Bosco turned toward him.  
  
"Is my Daddy gonna come back and try to hurt me too?" Amanda asked.  
  
"No," Bosco said quickly. "I won't let that happen. You're safe here with us. You'll always be safe here with us. I promise," he said.  
  
Kim handed Amanda over to Bosco and said, "I'll be right back. I just have to calm Johnny down."  
  
"I'm sorry I woke everyone up," Amanda said.  
  
"Don't ever be sorry and don't ever be afraid to come to us with anything. We're a family and we all love you," Bosco assured her as Kim turned a sleepy Joey around and headed into the boys' room to quiet Johnny and put Joey back to bed.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  
"Mom?" Joey said as Kim held Johnny and helped Joey back into bed.  
  
"Yeah, Joey?"  
  
"Is Amanda gonna be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, Joey, she is. It's just going to take some time. She saw some terrible things - things kids aren't supposed to see. We just have to make her feel loved and safe and secure. How was she at school today?" Kim asked, sitting on the edge of Joey's bed and gently rocking Johnny who was almost back to sleep.  
  
"Good. She seemed happy after school when we were coming home. She said she liked Mrs. Simmons and she made a couple of friends in her class," Joey told her.  
  
"Okay. Get back to sleep. You have school tomorrow. Thanks for looking after her at school," Kim said as she stood up and put Johnny back in his crib.  
  
"It's okay. She's my sister now," Joey said, closing his eyes and pulling the covers up under his chin.  
  
Kim leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Did I ever tell you what a fantastic kid you are?"  
  
"Uh huh," Joey mumbled and then was fast asleep. Kim took a last look at the boys and then pulled the door closed and went across the hall to see how Amanda was doing.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim stopped at the doorway and watched as Bosco gently and quietly talked to Amanda. He had calmed her enough that she allowed him to put her back under the covers. He handed her the rabbit that she always slept with. He started to stand up and Amanda very quietly said, "Please don't go."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here," Bosco said, lying on top of the covers next to her. He continued to stroke the side of her face with his thumb as his hand cradled her cheek. Kim listened for a moment as he hummed to her. She smiled and quietly stepped away and returned to their room.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  
Kim awoke to the feel of the bed moving and turned toward her husband. "She asleep?"  
  
"Yeah. She's out like a light. I think she'll sleep through the night," Bosco said, cuddling up next to Kim.  
  
"Your feet are freezing," she said, pulling her legs away from his feet.  
  
"Sorry," he said. "Did you go through that last night too?" he asked, feeling bad about missing Amanda's first full night with them.  
  
"No. I think she was too exhausted from the excitement of the day. She slept soundly," Kim said, looking at him in the moonlight.  
  
He saw her looking at him and said, "What?"  
  
"It's amazing," she said.  
  
"What is?"  
  
"How different you are when you're working and when you're home. You're so good with the kids. But at work, you have this whole different way about you. You're like a different person," she said.  
  
"Good or bad?" he asked her.  
  
"Oh, I definitely like a bad boy once in a while," she said with a smile.  
  
"Oh do you?" he asked, as he reached for her and pulled her closer.  
  
"Oh yeah," she said and they continued from there. 


	125. Pictures

"Amanda?" Kim called when she saw that the little girl wasn't in her room. "Amanda? Hey, time for bed." She frowned when no one answered. She walked down the hall, poking her head into the boys' room. Joey and Johnny were in bed. She continued her walk till she found Amanda in the master bedroom looking at the pictures on her dresser. "Amanda?"  
  
She turned around. "Hi."  
  
"Hi. What are you doing?" Kim walked over to her and looked at the pictures she'd been looking at.  
  
"I was looking at the pictures," Amanda admitted shyly  
  
"Yeah?" Kim nodded. "You know, maybe we should get some pictures of you taken so I can show everyone what a beautiful daughter I have."  
  
Amanda smiled before she looked back at the pictures. "Who's that?" She pointed to a picture.  
  
"Which one? Him?" Kim said pointing to Bobby.  
  
Amanda nodded, "He's very handsome."  
  
Kim smiled, "Yes he is. That is Bobby. He was a very good friend of mine for a long time."  
  
"Can I meet him?"  
  
"No. See, he's in heaven."  
  
"Like my mom?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"How did he die? Did he have cancer?"  
  
"Where did you learn about cancer?" Kim raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Books at Grandma Catherine's."  
  
"Oh. Well, no, he didn't have cancer. Someone hurt him very badly and he died."  
  
"Like my mom?"  
  
"Yeah, kind of," Kim nodded. "See that picture?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That was taken at the firehouse where I work. Across the street is the police station where Bosco works." Kim looked at Amanda. "You don't have school tomorrow right? You and Joey are off."  
  
"Uh-huh," Amanda nodded. "We're going to Grandma Catherine's."  
  
"Well, before you go there, how would you like to see where Bosco and I work? You can meet some of the people we work with too."  
  
"Really?" Amanda looked excited.  
  
"Yeah. Grandma can pick you up after we give you the grand tour of the firehouse and the station." Kim smiled, "Would you like that?"  
  
"Yes I would."  
  
"Okay. Then that is what we're going to do tomorrow. But now, it's time for all people under the age of 12 to get into bed."  
  
"Okay," Amanda and Kim walked out of the room and down to Amanda's bedroom. Amanda snuggled under her covers.  
  
"Do you want me to stay with you?" Kim asked as she handed Amanda her bunny.  
  
Amanda shook her head.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Amanda nodded.  
  
"Okay. If you change your mind, I am right down the hall, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Amanda smiled.  
  
"Night," Kim said. She kissed the top of Amanda's head and then left the room. 


	126. Boxajelly

"And who might this little angel be?" Lieutenant Swersky said as he came up to the Sergeant's desk and saw Amanda sitting on the ledge with Bosco's hand on her to keep her from falling.  
  
"Hi. My name's Amanda.. Boxajelly," she answered hesitantly with a big smile. "No, that's not right," she said with a puzzled look on her face. Everyone standing around started to chuckle.  
  
"Bos-ca-rel-li," Bosco said again slowly for her.  
  
"What he said," she said, pointing to Bosco.  
  
"She's never gonna get it right, Dad," Joey said to Bosco, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Baa eeeee," Johnny tried to repeat as he bounced up and down in Bosco's free arm.  
  
"We're working on it," Bosco said to his co-workers. "She can spell it. She just can't say it yet," he said, looking at her with a smile.  
  
"That's why we call him Bosco, Amanda," Swersky said to her as he leaned in to whisper, "I can't say it either."  
  
Kim stood proudly to the side of the group, letting Bosco show off his new daughter. She'd get her turn later at the station.  
  
Faith walked in and stopped alongside Kim. "She's beautiful, Kim," she said, causing Kim to jump slightly because she didn't realize she'd come in.  
  
"Hey, Faith. Thanks. Haven't seen you in a while," she said.  
  
"Yeah. The kids have gotten so big," Faith answered, trying to change the subject.  
  
"They're growing out of everything," Kim agreed.  
  
"Hey, wait here for a minute. I have something in my locker for you - you know, sort of a welcome gift for Amanda," Faith said, suddenly remembering. She walked past Bosco, catching his attention. He watched her walk into the locker room and Kim could see his jaw tighten at his tenseness. This whole thing was really bothering him. She hoped they'd get it straightened out soon. She still didn't understand exactly what it was all about.  
  
A moment later, Faith returned with a gift bag with a big pink bow on it. She walked up to Amanda, barely greeting Bosco. "Amanda. My name is Faith Yokas. I work with Bosco. I just wanted to meet you and give you this as a welcome gift. I hope you like it."  
  
"Thank you," Amanda said timidly. She looked at Bosco to see if it was all right to take it and he nodded.  
  
"Thanks, Faith. That was nice," Bosco said.  
  
"Yeah, well I just wanted to give her a little something. She's beautiful, Bos. Congratulations," Faith said, the tenseness evident in her stance as well.  
  
"Well, I hate to break this up, but it's roll call in ten minutes," the Lieutenant said, causing the crowd to break up. There was backslapping and handshaking going on as Bosco's co-workers headed off to get ready for roll call.  
  
"Okay, I have to go to work now. You go with Kim and meet the people she works with. I'll try to stop by after roll call," Bosco said to Amanda and the boys as he handed them of to her.  
  
"Be careful," Kim said, giving him a kiss.  
  
"Always," he said, giving her a kiss back and then kissing each one of the kids on the head before he headed to the locker room. "Tell Grandma Catherine I said hi if I don't catch up with you over at the firehouse," he said, walking down the hallway.  
  
"Da - da," Johnny said as he waved. Bosco waved back.  
  
"Can I call him Daddy too," Amanda asked Kim as she watched Bosco walk away.  
  
"You absolutely can. I think he'd like that," Kim said, a smile coming to her face along with a couple of tears in her eyes.  
  
"Bye, Daddy!" she called to him just as he reached the doorway.  
  
He pulled up short and looked back at them - his family. "See you later, Sweetheart," he said, with a grin ear-to-ear.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  
"Whoa! Princess in the house!" Walsh called out as Kim walked in the front door of the firehouse with her family.  
  
"Everybody came to see where Bosco and I work today," Kim said as they walked through to the kitchen, followed by the crew.  
  
"Hey, Joey," a number of them said. A couple shook his hand and a few picked him up and threw him back and forth.  
  
"Me!" Johnny managed to get out.  
  
D.K. took hold of Johnny and gently tossed him over to Billy without really letting go and was rewarded with a big, screeching giggle as he was returned to D.K. in the same way.  
  
They caught up with Kim and Amanda in the kitchen. ".and this is Doc, Lombardo, Alex, Carlos, D.K., and Walsh," Kim finished as she pointed to each of them.  
  
"Where's my Dad?" Joey asked, looking around.  
  
"Right here, Sport," Jimmy said, coming down from the sleeping quarters after putting his stuff in his locker.  
  
"Hey, who's this beauty," Jimmy said, picking Joey up and giving him a hug.  
  
"This is Amanda, Dad," Joey answered proudly.  
  
"Well, hello Amanda. Welcome to Camelot," Jimmy said, shaking her hand. "Hey Johnny," he said to the baby that D.K. was still holding.  
  
"But, I thought Daddy was your Daddy," Amanda said, confused.  
  
"He is," Joey said. "I have two Dads," he said simply. "I'll explain it all later," he said at her look of utter confusion.  
  
After a few minutes, Bosco and Faith joined them. Faith stayed off to the side of the group, still feeling uncomfortable around Bosco, and Bosco around her.  
  
"Hey, guys, girls," Bosco said happily as he walked in with his uniform on.  
  
"Ooooh. You look nice, Daddy," Amanda said, scrambling off of Kim's lap and heading over to him.  
  
"Daddy's girl," Kim announced with a smile as Bosco bent down even with Amanda.  
  
They were interrupted when Bosco's radio came to life. "55-David. Take an unknown at Arthur and 178th - in the park. Upset female caller on the line. Unable to make out what she's talking about. Handle forthwith and advise," the dispatcher said.  
  
"10-4, Central. In route from King and Arthur," Faith answered as Bosco handed Johnny off to Kim and said goodbye on his way out the door.  
  
"Where's he going?" Amanda asked.  
  
"He's going to work, Amanda," Kim answered. "Someone needs help."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Catherine came into the firehouse just as Kim was finishing showing Amanda around the fire trucks and ambulances.  
  
"Well, how was the tour?" she asked as Joey and Amanda ran up to her and Johnny reached for her from Kim's arms.  
  
"It was cool!" Amanda said with a big smile.  
  
"Okay. Let's head to my house and see if there's anything as cool to do there," she said, rolling her eyes at Kim.  
  
"You have to go to work too?" Amanda asked.  
  
"Yup. But, I'll see you in the morning, first thing okay?" Kim answered, giving all the kids a kiss.  
  
"Okay," Amanda said as they walked out to Catherine's car to get everyone buckled in.  
  
"Do you think my Mommy would mind if I called you Mommy too?" Amanda asked out of the blue.  
  
Kim felt her heart catch and stopped what she was doing. She sat down on the seat next to Amanda. "I don't think your Mommy would mind at all. Your Mommy will always be your Mommy, but I can be your Mommy down here where she can't be, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Mommy," Amanda said and Kim looked up to see the tears in Catherine's eyes.  
  
"Don't you dare get me started," she warned her mother.  
  
Kim watched as her family drove off to spend the night with their grandmother. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Bosco's number.  
  
"Boscorelli," he answered, not looking at the incoming number on the phone before answering.  
  
"Hey, Daddy," Kim said from her end. She could hear the smile on his face as he answered her.  
  
"That was awesome," he said.  
  
"She just asked if it was okay to call me Mommy. I told her that I could be her Mommy down here and she was lucky because she had a Mommy in heaven too," Kim said and Bosco could hear the happy tears in her voice.  
  
"You okay?" he asked her.  
  
"I'm great," she answered. "Talk to you later. Be safe," she finished before hanging up. 


	127. A Very Wise Man

"Hey," Kim greeted Bosco as they met outside after the shift later that week. It was Friday and the day had been pretty slow.  
  
"Hey," he said before kissing her. "Ready to go?"  
  
"Funny you should mention that," Kim smiled. "How much do you love me?"  
  
"I'm suddenly very afraid," Bosco rose an eyebrow.  
  
Kim smiled, "It would seem that I forgot to tell you about an invitation we got to go to Joe and Linda's anniversary party."  
  
"Which is when?"  
  
"Tonight," Kim said.  
  
"And what about the kids?"  
  
"Well, see, now that's the good part. I remembered to ask Mel to baby-sit. She picked them all up after she got off work and took them to our house. She's fed them and put them to bed already."  
  
"Kimmy, just out of curiosity, when did Lombardo tell you about this party?"  
  
"Two weeks ago," Kim admitted quietly.  
  
Bosco laughed. "Okay. Any chance we can get out of this?"  
  
"It'll be fun. It's at Haggerty's so we don't have to change. We'll go, we'll eat, drink, dance, tell Linda and Joe congrats, and then get the hell out of there, okay?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
"Okay," Bosco nodded. "I must really love you."  
  
"You better," Kim told him.  
  
hr  
  
"Hey Kim," Alex greeted her.  
  
"Hey," she said before frowning at the jukebox. "Didn't the person who stocked this thing like anyone else besides Frank Sinatra?"  
  
"That argument sounds very familiar," Alex grinned. "I remember telling Bobby just about the same thing."  
  
Kim smiled, "Ah finally."  
  
Alex looked at the title. "Very telling of your relationship."  
  
"Thank you. I thought so too," Kim said before she went to collect her husband. "Baby, I wanna dance."  
  
"Okay. To this?" He listened to the song and then smiled. "You're a funny girl Mrs. Boscorelli."  
  
"Why thank you, Officer."  
  
Kim and Bosco danced to 'Devil or Angel' before joining Lombardo, Linda, Alex, and Jimmy at the bar.  
  
"Congratulations Lombardo," Bosco told him.  
  
"Thank you," Joe nodded.  
  
"You guys should do it again," Kim said. "And do it right this time."  
  
"Nah. I liked our ceremony just fine," Linda said. "But I remember yours and it was beautiful."  
  
"Yeah we liked it," Bosco grinned as Kim leaned back against him.  
  
"You're a lucky man Boscorelli," Joe said.  
  
"That right?"  
  
"Yeah. How she puts up with you is amazing to me," Joe grinned.  
  
"You're not the first person to tell me that Joe."  
  
"Oh yeah? Who else?"  
  
"Yeah, who else?" Kim asked.  
  
"A very wise man told me I was lucky she loved me even before she told me she loved me. I guess he saw things we didn't. And after we got engaged he told me that I had better take good care of her or I'd have him to answer to and that he had three sisters so he knew how to beat guys up," Bosco tightened his arms around Kim when she snuggled into him.  
  
"To a very wise man," Kim said quietly.  
  
"To a very wise man," was the echo from their friends. 


	128. No Words, Just Love

He sat alone at the back of the bar. His mother knew something big had happened, but knew from past experience that he wouldn't talk about - not until he was ready - maybe never. She walked back, bringing him another beer.  
  
"What happened?" she asked him, not expecting an answer - just trying to let him know that she was there for him.  
  
"Ma," he said, warning her off.  
  
"Okay, okay. But, I'm here if you need or want to talk about it," she offered. "Kim?" she asked, wondering if it was something between the two of them.  
  
"No," he said, taking a long drink of his beer.  
  
"Kids?"  
  
"No," he replied, aggravation in his voice.  
  
"Okay, but that's all you're getting and you're not driving yourself home," Rose told her son. She knew by the way he walked and then when she looked at his eyes when he came in that this wasn't his first stop. She walked back to the bar and finished up with Last Call, watching her son out of the corner of her eye. Something bad had happened, she just hoped that he'd be able to work it out - whatever it was.  
  
Bosco finished the last of his beer and stood up, somewhat unsteadily. His brother Mikey appeared seemingly out of nowhere. His mother had called him and he chuckled to himself at her ability to do things like that.  
  
"Hey, Mo. What's up?" Mikey asked his brother.  
  
"Nothin' much. Ma called you?" Bosco replied, sitting down next to his brother.  
  
Mikey shrugged. "She thought you could use a ride home," he said quietly. "What's goin' on, Bro?"  
  
"I'm not sure myself, Mikey. Look, take me home, will ya'," he said, giving his brother his keys.  
  
"Whoa, you MUST be trashed if you're letting ME drive your car," Mikey said, taking the keys from him. They walked toward the door. "See ya, Ma," both boys said at the same time.  
  
"G'night, Maurice. Thanks, Michael," Rose said to her sons.  
  
Mikey nodded and Bosco just waved as he leaned slightly against his brother on the way out.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Mikey snuck a sideways glance at Bosco during the drive home. His brother sat with his head back against the seat, eyes closed.  
  
"So, what's goin' on, Mo?" he asked him.  
  
"Mikey, please," Bosco said, bringing his hand up to rub his eyes.  
  
"Okay, okay, but Ma's worried. For that matter, so am I. You haven't been like this in a long time," his brother said with concern. "Not since you took up with Kim."  
  
"'Took up' with Kim?" he repeated back to his brother, with a smirk.  
  
Mikey shrugged. "You know what I mean. Is everything okay between you two? Something with the kids?"  
  
"No. Everything's fine with Kim and the kids. It's work.. Look, Mikey. I'm sorry, but I really can't talk about this right now," Bosco said, letting out a breath in exasperation.  
  
"Alright, but I'm here. Ma too," Mikey offered as he pulled up to Bosco's building. He looked up at the building. "You got your cell phone, because it looks like your place is all dark. I don't want to wake anyone up calling for a cab," Mikey said.  
  
Bosco looked up and took let out a sigh. "Yeah, I told her not to wait up. You can take my car. I'll get it from you tomorrow. Give me a call," he said, opening the door. He looked over at his brother. "Don't wreck my car, Mikey," he warned.  
  
"I won't. I'll go right home, Mo. Promise," Mikey told him.  
  
Bosco looked over at his brother. "What?" Mikey asked him.  
  
Bosco shook his head. "Nothin', Mikey. You're doin' good?" he asked.  
  
"I'm good, Mo," Mikey answered.  
  
"I'm proud of you, Mikey. You've come a long way, little brother," he said, lightly punching his brother in the arm. "Thanks for bringing me home."  
  
"You sure you're okay, Bro?" Mikey asked again. Bosco nodded his head. "Yeah, Mikey. Go home." Bosco stood up and closed the door. He watched his brother drive off and turned to go upstairs, slightly off balance from the alcohol he'd had during the night.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  
Kim lay awake in her bed. She'd checked on the kids for the eighth time and they were all sound asleep. Now, if only Bosco would come home. He'd called her at the firehouse from the precinct to tell her to head home without him. He was going out for a little bit - needed some time by himself. She tried to find out what had happened, but he said it was okay and he'd see her in a little while. Faith was already gone when she'd walked across the street to see if she knew what had happened.  
  
"I'm fine," he said to her concern about him being hurt. "Kiss the kids goodnight for me," he said to her before hanging up.  
  
Now, here she was, listening to the clock tick on the wall and hearing the cars passing on the street below. Finally, she heard the unmistakable sound of his car pulling up outside the building. She laid there, not knowing if she should get up to greet him, or if she should let him come to her.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**  
  
Bosco used his key to open the door. The apartment was dark and he smiled to himself when he thought of how pitiful it was before he'd met Kim. Coming home to a dark, empty apartment night after night. Now he came home to an apartment filled with the sights and sounds of love, family. He was lucky.  
  
He'd secretly wondered how long this happiness would last before something happened and he guessed this was the beginning of finding out. He walked over and hung up his coat. He moved over to the couch, turning on a small light and picking the mail up off the table, going through it without really reading it. He put the mail back down and walked to the window, staring out at the sky that was lightening with the first signs of the dawn. He thought back to what he and Faith had said to each other. He thought about the events of his shift. "How'd things get so screwed up?" he asked himself.  
  
Suddenly, he felt overwhelmed with fatigue - both from the stress of events and from the alcohol. He stood up and walked down the hallway. He stopped and looked in on the boys. They were sound asleep. He shut their door and crossed over to Amanda's room. He walked in and covered her up again - "She's a restless one," he smiled to himself. She moved slightly, mumbling something and snuggling further under the covers. He put a hand on her cheek. He closed her door and went into the bathroom, getting ready for bed.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim lay awake, listening to him moving around. Her stomach told her something was going on, but she didn't want to push him. She knew that would only push him further away. She'd have to wait until he came to her. She listened to the shower run, then sink has he brushed his teeth. The door to the bathroom opened and the light switch was turned off.  
  
Bosco came into the room, letting his eyes adjust to the dark. He took in the form of Kim in his bed and he felt the love he had for her. He dropped the towel on the floor and climbed in alongside her. She turned to him and put her arm on his chest.  
  
"You okay?" she asked him quietly.  
  
He nodded his head and pulled her close. "I love you, Kim," he said, beginning to kiss her. She felt his need for her, held him close and made love to him. He seemed to need that tonight. No words - just love. 


	129. Visitors

"Hey Mom," Amanda yelled.  
  
Kim looked up from the bills she was paying. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Joey was right behind Amanda and behind them was Catherine, who was holding Johnny.  
  
"I'm sorry to do this to you Kim but your aunt Maggie has the flu and she needs someone to come up and stay with her. I left a message at the desk for Bosco before I brought them over here. I hope this doesn't cause too much trouble."  
  
"Probably not. I'll call Rose and see if she can come get them," Kim said. She took Johnny from Catherine and hugged her mother. "Tell Aunt Maggie I hope she feels better."  
  
"I will. Bye guys," Catherine said to Joey and Amanda, who were already making themselves comfy in the TV room with some of the guys. They waved to their grandmother as she left.  
  
Kim picked up the phone and dialed Rose.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Mikey, it's Kim. Your mom there?"  
  
"Yeah, Kimmy. Hold on."  
  
Kim waited and a few minutes later, "Kim?"  
  
"Hey Rose. I need a favor. Can you take the kids tonight?"  
  
"Oh you know I would but there's a private party here tonight that I need to be here for."  
  
"Oh. Uh, what about Mikey?"  
  
"He's waiting tables for me."  
  
"Right. Okay. Thanks anyway Rose."  
  
"I'd do it if I could honey."  
  
"I know. I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye."  
  
They hung up and Kim blew out a breath. She looked at Johnny, "Guess you guys are stuck here for a while. Hey Doc, who's cooking tonight?"  
  
"Lombardo. Mexican lasagna."  
  
"Sounds good," Kim nodded. "Anything but mushroom meatloaf, right Joey?" Kim asked as she and Johnny joined Joey and Amanda in the TV room."  
  
Joey just made a face, "Yick!"  
  
"Hey!" Jimmy protested.  
  
"I like Daddy's lasagna," Amanda said. "It's from Nana's recipe."  
  
"Yeah, it's yummy," Joey agreed.  
  
"Thank you very much Kim. Now Joey will never eat my cooking again."  
  
"Good. He'll live longer," D.K. said with a grin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey Kim, I had a patient today that knew you," Alex said. She'd ridden with Doc that day while Kim had ridden with Carlos.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Kim put the plates down on the table and looked at Alex. "What was their name?"  
  
"Aaron Noble."  
  
"Ah, yeah he hit on me the other day. Doc and I picked up for a stab wound."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Then I told him I was married and he backed off."  
  
"Well he hit on me and since I'm not married, he didn't back off. In fact he asked me out."  
  
"Oh really? Are you gonna go?"  
  
"I'm thinking about it."  
  
"You're playing with fire," Kim warned. "Didn't you ever hear about Carlos and that girl?"  
  
"You mean Vangie?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That's different. Aaron doesn't have mental problems."  
  
"That you know about."  
  
"He's a writer."  
  
"Exactly. Most brilliant people have some kind of problem."  
  
"Thank you very much Kim."  
  
"I'm just teasing. Truth is that I think it's great. I hope you and he hit it off."  
  
"Thanks," Alex grinned.  
  
"Hello?" Bosco said as he walked up the stairs. "Hey Baby," he kissed Kim. "I got the message from the desk. Where are the kids?"  
  
"In there being taught the finer points of the game by the guys. Lombardo's trying to make Amanda a Yankees fan."  
  
"Hey!" Bosco called. "Leave my girl alone Joe."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," was the response.  
  
"Hi Daddy," Amanda called.  
  
"Hey sweetie," Bosco looked in on them. "You being good?"  
  
"Uh-huh," Amanda nodded. "Dinner smells good. Are you gonna eat with us?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. When's it ready?"  
  
"'Nother couple of minutes," Lombardo said getting up to check on it. "Hope you like Mexican lasagna."  
  
"Sounds great," Bosco agreed. Then he radioed in a dinner request before he went to sit with Amanda and Joey.  
  
Kim watched them for a moment with a smile on her face. This was a good thing. 


	130. Blowing on Windows

"Go Yankees!" Bosco heard from Amanda as he walked into the TV room to get the kids and head home.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey! None of that!" he bellowed, getting a giggle out of Amanda.  
  
"What? It's not her fault she knows a good team when she sees one," D.K. remarked.  
  
"Don't be corrupting my little girl. We root for the Mets," Bosco said to Amanda, throwing D.K. a glance as he gathered her up off the couch.  
  
"The Mets suck!" she yelled back, causing Bosco to look at D.K.  
  
"I did not teach her that," D.K. said, throwing his hands up in innocence.  
  
"Let's go, troops," he said to Joey and Johnny who started crawling the other way.  
  
"Whoa, not so fast, Speedy!" Kim yelled, corralling Johnny from the other doorway. Bosco grabbed the bag of clothes and video games that they'd brought over to Catherine's and the whole family headed out to the car.  
  
"You know, you're gonna have to give up...." Kim started only to be interrupted.  
  
"Don't say it. I can't get rid of my mustang," Bosco whined.  
  
"Oh, please. Would you like a little cheese to go with that wine?" she teased him. "I didn't say you had to get rid of it. It's paid for - keep it. We just need something with more room. Like a minivan," she said.  
  
"NO! No minivans. I refuse to drive a minivan," Bosco stressed again.  
  
"Okay, okay. An SUV. Something with more seats and room," Kim said, throwing up her hands as she finished buckling Johnny into his car seat.  
  
"I'll think about it," he told her, shutting the door and leaning against it, hearing the kids yelling goodbye to Kim from within. He watched as Kim tried to stifle a laugh. "She's making fog and writing on my windows again, isn't she?" he said, referring to one of Amanda's favorite things. Kim burst out laughing and nodded her head. Bosco chuckled too, shaking his head. "I heard Carlos is coming back. That's good," Bosco said, remember his conversation with Ty earlier.  
  
"Yeah. Hopefully that poor girl isn't too screwed up to be helped. I can't believe the mother was so oblivious all this time," Kim said.  
  
"Guys like that are pretty good at hiding things and the kids are usually too scared to say anything. Afraid of getting Mom mad at them for chasing her boyfriend or husband away," Bosco replied.  
  
Kim nodded her head, looking at her children. "So, thanks for taking time off from work. Sorry about that."  
  
"It was my turn," he said. "Things were slow anyway."  
  
"Faith didn't mind riding alone tonight?" Kim asked him and saw the look on his face change ever so slightly.  
  
"I'm not partnered with her. I was working Anti Crime tonight," he said simply.  
  
"Does this have anything to do with how you were last night?" she asked him, remembering the feeling of need she felt from him when he'd finally come home. He just looked at her, not sure he should say anything or not. He didn't want her to worry for no reason. "What's going on, Bos?" she asked him.  
  
"We had a armored car turn over yesterday and some money's missing," he told her.  
  
"Yeah, I heard. One of the armored car guys died later. What of it?" she asked him.  
  
"Faith and I were the last one's that touched the money. This guy took off with it and we chased him. He dropped the bag of money and I stuffed it in a garbage can out of sight and followed Faith in chasing after the guy. I figured it'd be easier to catch the bastard without having to lug around this big bag of money. Anyway, Faith caught up to the guy at the same time Cruz and her partner cut him off with their car. Cruz took the guy in and we headed back to get the money. Only it was gone when we got back," Bosco explained.  
  
"Oh my God. So what happens now?" Kim asked. Bosco shrugged and started to respond that he wasn't sure when Alex came outside.  
  
"Kim, we got a call," Alex yelled over. "See ya, Bos."  
  
"We'll talk about it more when you get home. Be careful. Bye, Alex," he said, standing up straight. She gave him a quick kiss, waved to the kids and headed off for the bus.  
  
She turned and looked back at him. "It'll be okay, Bos. I love you."  
  
"Yup. Me too," he said, getting in the car. "I hope so," he thought to himself as he started the car and followed the ambulance down the street until it turned off in the other direction. 


	131. Annoyed

"Uh-huh," Bosco nodded as he drove himself and Kim home.  
  
Kim eyed him. She was talking about a patient who was old enough to be her father and the fact that he'd been hitting on her. She decided to test Bosco's listening skills. "And then Carlos and I got it on in the back of the ambulance. Then I went back to the house and surprised Jimmy in the shower. You know I think he's learned a few things since the last time we slept together."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Bosco!"  
  
"What?" He glanced at her.  
  
"You haven't heard one word I've said."  
  
"Sure I have," he said.  
  
"Really? I just told you that I had sex with Carlos in the ambulance and then I did it with Jimmy in the showers at the house and all you had to say was 'uh-huh.' What gives?"  
  
"Nothing," Bosco said.  
  
Kim nodded. "Faith called me today. She wanted me to hear it from her before I heard it through the grapevine."  
  
"Hear what?" Bosco just did not want to believe that Faith could be that presumptuous. Kim was his wife. Faith didn't have the right to tell her anything, not anymore.  
  
"That she asked for a new partner."  
  
"Figures. And she made it sound like it was my fault, right?"  
  
"No." Kim said simply. "She just said you two were different people. Too different to keep being partners," she absently played with her engagement ring. She could see Faith standing next to Bosco the day they'd been married in her mind's eye. "So, Anti-Crime is a permanent thing now?"  
  
"Looks that way," Bosco said parking the car in front of their building. He reached over and covered Kim's hand with his. "Look at me."  
  
She did as he asked and tried to smile.  
  
"You look so scared, do you know that?"  
  
"You being out there with Cruz scares me. She's not stable Bosco."  
  
"I know. But neither are Faith and I."  
  
"Are we?"  
  
"Stable? Hell yes. I can't even imagine where'd I be without you."  
  
"Screwing nameless woman left and right."  
  
"Now, once upon a time that would have sounded great. I guess it just goes to show you what a good woman can do for a man," Bosco flirted.  
  
"She's still your best friend Bosco," Kim said quietly.  
  
"Kim-"  
  
"No. Just listen to me. She's stuck by you through a lot and you've done the same with her. I want you to think about that. I also want you to think back to a little over a year ago. Does Shaquana Golden ring any bells with you?"  
  
Bosco tried to pull back but Kim wouldn't let go of his hand. "So?"  
  
"Faith busted her ass that day proving you weren't the one who killed the son of a bitch who raped that little girl. I'm gonna ask you a question and I want you to think about the answer for a while. Do you think for two seconds that Cruz would do that for you? Do you think she would even break a sweat to prove you were innocent? Because I don't. I think she would leave you twisting in the wind. Faith wouldn't do that. She didn't when it was Shaquana and even if you said you never wanted her anywhere near you again she wouldn't do it now. That's what a friend is Bosco. That's what Faith is," Kim said before she released his hand and got out of the car.  
  
Bosco watched her walk up the stairs and into the building. He'd go in a minute. He just wanted to calm down a little. He wasn't mad at Kim. He was annoyed.  
  
Annoyed because he knew that she was right. 


	132. Breaths

"Hey, its me," came Bosco's voice through her phone. Kim was sitting up in the bunkroom of the firehouse, alone.  
  
"Hey you," she answered quietly. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothing. Just calling to see if you're okay. I heard about what happened," he told her. She closed her eyes and took in a deep, ragged breath, letting it out slowly as she tried to hold back fresh tears. It had brought everything back. Not that she'd ever forgotten totally. She was just able to think about it now, be sad about it, and move on in a matter of minutes. She'd always miss him and wonder what he would have thought about everything that had happened in her life since he was gone. She smiled to herself for a moment.  
  
"Kim?" Bosco said, worried that she hadn't answered him right away. He knew that breath that she took. Knew it meant she was trying to control her emotions.  
  
"Yeah. I'm okay. It was just.. Well, it was awful. I saw Bobby all over again. I'm just waiting for 11:00 so I can go home and curl up next to you in bed," she said to him, just the thought of it calming her.  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," he said. She could hear a certain sadness in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, me too. But, you're working. Faith was there - by herself. She was really great. She tried to stop me before we got to her. I just can't believe she did it," Kim said, still astonished that Bobby's old girlfriend, Gina, the sister of the junkie that had killed Bobby, had killed herself. "Paulie., Paulie Fuentes," she said the name to herself.  
  
Bosco stiffened slightly at Kim's mention of Faith, but he knew she wasn't trying to push him. He dismissed the feeling and refocused on helping Kim through this. "Did she leave any kind of note or anything? Anything to explain it? She was married and had kids, didn't she?" he asked her.  
  
"I didn't see a note, but that could have been taken before we got there. We just transported the body to the hospital. I ran into her husband when we were leaving the hospital. The cops just gone done telling him and he was going to try and ID the body. He had the kids with him. The oldest couldn't have been more than 10 or 11. I talked to him briefly. All he said was that Gina was never the same after Bobby," she explained.  
  
"Was anyone?" Bosco voiced.  
  
"Yeah. I just want to go home," Kim said.  
  
"Ask Doc if you can leave early? They can call the next guy in early," Bosco suggested.  
  
"Mmm. Nah. I don't want to be alone tonight. I'll wait 'til you're done. You okay? You sound kind of down," Kim noticed.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I wanted to ask you if anything's going on tomorrow during the day or if the kids are covered?" he asked her, trying to sound casual.  
  
"Ummmm, they've got school and we've got Johnny until its time for work. Why, what's up?" she asked curiously.  
  
"I've gotta meet up with a guy tomorrow before work," he said, sounding vague and hoping she wouldn't notice.  
  
"Okay. Anyone I know?" she asked.  
  
"No. Just some guy I've gotta meet and talk to," he answered, trying to evade her question. He wasn't sure he wanted ANYONE to know that he was going to talk to the shrink that helped him through his panic attacks. He just wasn't feeling right about this whole thing with Cruz and Faith and Anti-Crime. He wanted a disinterested party's take on it.  
  
"Oh," she said, seeming somewhat put off.  
  
"It's about a case Cruz and I are working on," he lied.  
  
"Oh," she said with bitterness in her voice this time. "Be careful."  
  
"You know I will," he assured her.  
  
"You're sure you're okay?" Bosco asked her before hanging up.  
  
"Yeah. Just don't make any late-night busts. I want to go home and be with my man," she said.  
  
"I'll keep a low profile for the rest of the shift," he said.  
  
After he hung up the phone, he sat in the darkened room of the station house and thought for a minute. He picked up the phone after taking a card from his wallet and left a message for the doctor to call him. 


	133. Attacks of Conscience

Bosco walked onto the boat. He was a little nervous about this. It'd been a while since he'd talked to Brian O'Malley.  
  
"Long time, Bosco. About a year, right?" The older man said by way of a greeting.  
  
"Yeah, about that," Bosco nodded.  
  
"Sit down," Brian nodded to a chair.  
  
"Thanks," Bosco said as he sat.  
  
"So, what's the problem? Remember if you lie, you leave."  
  
"I remember," Bosco nodded.  
  
"So?"  
  
"It's work."  
  
"Anxiety attacks?"  
  
"No. More like attacks of conscience."  
  
"Go ahead," Brian nodded.  
  
"See I've been working with this cop in Anti-Crime. Sgt. Cruz."  
  
"Maritza. She's the one who just lost her sister."  
  
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Bosco asked, a little confused.  
  
"I still have friends on the force," he said.  
  
"Right," Bosco nodded. "Anyway, she's not always on the up and up, if you know what I mean."  
  
"I think I get your meaning. Have you talked to anyone about this? Your partner? What was her name?"  
  
"Faith and no. She doesn't really want much to do with me right now."  
  
"Any special reason?"  
  
"I lied to her. I lied to her and even though she gave me every opportunity to come clean I kept lying. Then Cruz told her the truth."  
  
"What did you lie about?"  
  
"A witness' dying declaration. I backed Cruz up and the thing of it is I can't even tell Lieu or IAB because my name's in front of it."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"To put it mildly."  
  
"What else?"  
  
"Last week we arrested this author Aaron Noble, have you heard of him?"  
  
"Yeah I have. He's pretty talented. What did you arrest him for?"  
  
"Buying drugs. He gave us names and Cruz said she'd forget what happened."  
  
"And she didn't?" Brian guessed.  
  
"Nope. She processed him and sent him to lock-up."  
  
"And this bothers you?"  
  
"Yeah, it does. There was a time when it wouldn't have but it does now."  
  
"When wouldn't this have bothered you?"  
  
"A few years ago."  
  
"So before you got involved with your wife? Kim, right?"  
  
"Right," Bosco nodded as he looked at his wedding ring. He hardly even noticed it anymore. It was just a part of him now.  
  
"What's she like?"  
  
"Kim?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Bosco looked up. "She is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Plain and simple. I don't know what my life would have been like these last few years without her."  
  
"How'd you meet her?"  
  
"She's a paramedic at the fire station across the street from the precinct. We'd known each other for a while but she'd been married to and then getting over a firefighter."  
  
"Widowed?"  
  
"Divorced. He liked to run around on her. The final straw was when he slept with her sister."  
  
"And you two? You have a good marriage?"  
  
"Kim and I are the pretty much the only relationship I haven't managed to screw up recently."  
  
"Kids?"  
  
"Three. Joey, who is biologically Kim's ex-husband's son, but he's mine too. Johnny, he was born on 9-11 and Amanda. We just adopted her."  
  
"You like the family life?"  
  
"I love it. It's strange. It used to be that I hated the thought of settling down with one woman for the rest of my life but now I can't see the rest of my life without Kim in it. I think that's why I'm here. I keep pushing people away lately and I don't want to do that with Kim. I did it last year and I think I came close to losing her. I don't want that to happen again."  
  
"Well that's a start. Do you know why you're pushing people away?"  
  
"I guess it's because at the moment, I really don't like myself to much."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I backed Cruz up and she set me up and I lied to my best friend about it. I lied to her for a woman who has repeatedly tried to get me into bed."  
  
"Tried?"  
  
"I've got a good marriage. I'm not looking to mess that up. Cruz doesn't interest me in that way. Maybe once but now not."  
  
"Good to hear. How does Kim feel about you working with Cruz?"  
  
"She doesn't trust Cruz. Even before she made a pass at me Kim didn't trust her. The fact that Cruz tried anything with me just confirmed her suspicions."  
  
"You told her."  
  
"Yeah. I didn't want her to hear it anywhere else."  
  
"Smart guy."  
  
"Can't take all the credit. I knew I'd tell her but Faith made me tell her right away."  
  
"Faith. What's she like?"  
  
"She's patient, she's got a smart mouth, she's a mom, and though she might not think so right now, she's my best friend. She is my best friend and I think I just lost her."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I lied. Because I was an idiot and I said incredibly hateful things to her that I didn't mean and should never have said. I guess I just wanted to make it easier for her to leave me in the dust."  
  
"And now?"  
  
"Now, I just want to take it all back. I'd give anything to take it back." 


	134. Change is Good

"This just doesn't feel right," Bosco said for the fourth time with irritation in his voice.  
  
"Maurice Boscorelli! Just settle down and give it a chance. Change is good. You never know if you're going to like something if you don't give it a try. I thought you liked to experience new things," Kim said in exasperation.  
  
"This is not the kind of 'new thing' that I was talking about," he told her. "And, if that guy doesn't stop looking over here, I'm gonna shoot him," he added under his breath.  
  
"Really, Daddy?" Amanda asked with her eyes wide. Bosco immediately mentally kicked himself at saying that.  
  
"No, Amanda. I was just being a wise guy. I'd never really do that unless that person was trying to hurt someone else. And only if there was no other way to stop him. I shouldn't have said that and I'm sorry," Bosco said softly to the little girl.  
  
She reached up to hug him. "Okay," she said as she climbed off his lap and headed behind him. "Look! It has a TV!" she squealed.  
  
"Cool!" Joey followed up his sister's sentiments with.  
  
"Cool!" Johnny copied, much to Joey's annoyance.  
  
Bosco looked at Kim who sat alongside of her. "Cool!" she added with a smile.  
  
"You're no help," Bosco told her, trying to appear annoyed, but unable to keep from laughing at the looks on his family's faces.  
  
"How're we doing over here?" asked the salesman that had come up behind Bosco while he was looking into the back of the minivan at the kids. As he began to turn toward him, Kim saw the look on Bosco's face and quickly interrupted.  
  
"Okay. We're just taking our time so that we're sure," Kim said with a pleasant smile.  
  
"No problem. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you. Also, we have a few others just like this out back in different colors," he offered. He started to turn and walk away and then turned back to Bosco. "Oh, and by the way, we already have one of our salesmen interested in the mustang you brought in for trade," he said.  
  
Before Kim could say anything, the vein on Bosco's forehead popped as he tightly said, "The mustang goes home with me." The salesman's eyes went wide at the look on Bosco's face.  
  
"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry. I just assumed." he started, but was interrupted by Kim.  
  
"It's okay. I told him he could keep his muscle car, but that we needed something to haul us all around in now. We'll be ready in a little bit. What colors do you have out back?" she asked, changing the topic as she took a quick glance at Bosco being softened by Amanda and Joey climbing on him. "Gotta give it to the girl, she knows how to handle Daddy," Kim said to herself smugly.  
  
"Well, let's see. We have a dark green, a red and a brown one in addition to this navy blue one. All with the same features as you see here. I'll leave you to discuss it. Just call me over when you've decided," he said, quickly making his exit and hoping he hadn't lost a sale.  
  
Bosco looked at Kim and said, "I'm not trading in the mustang."  
  
"I know you're not. I promise. What do you think, though?" Kim asked him, getting excited at the fact that he was softening on the idea.  
  
He looked around again, flipping a few switches. He got out of the van and looked it over, read the window sticker and opened the rear door and looked at the spare tire. He looked up at Kim through the back opening and said, "Red?"  
  
"Great!" she answered with a big smile.  
  
Bosco nodded. "Take the kids across the street for ice cream while I talk business woman," he told her.  
  
"Chauvinist Pig!" she said as she gathered the kids up and got them out of the van.  
  
"And I am NOT! EVER! NEVER! driving this thing to work," he added as she headed out the door. He turned and signaled the salesman that he was ready to talk business. 


	135. Birthdays

"That's adorable," Alex told Kim.  
  
"I just hope Amanda likes it," Kim folded the dress back up and put it into a box. "I appreciate the help with all the kids. Amanda wanted Charlie Yokas to come and I don't think Bos is ready to be around him just yet."  
  
"Is he not coming at all?"  
  
"No, he'll be here before the party to have a family lunch for her birthday."  
  
"Can I ask you something?  
  
"I have no clue what's going on with him and Faith. None."  
  
"Really? I thought for sure he'd tell you."  
  
"I'm just trying to let him come to me on his own. I don't want to push."  
  
"But you're pretty much dying to know right?"  
  
"Am I that obvious?"  
  
"Yes," Alex smiled. "But in a good way."  
  
"Thanks a lot Taylor."  
  
"Oh before I forget," Alex dug something out of her bag. "This is from the guys at the station."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I have no idea. Doc picked it out."  
  
Kim shook it. "Hmm, sounds like jewelry."  
  
"Maybe it's a Yankees pin."  
  
"Nah, that would happen if Lombardo had done the picking out. Maybe it's a fireman's pin."  
  
"Oh Bos would love that."  
  
Kim smiled and added it to the pile of gifts that were from family.  
  
"So when's your mom bringing the kids back over?"  
  
"About an hour. She took Amanda and Joey for a hair cut and Johnny's taking a nap."  
  
"So, all we have to do is wait."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Okay, I'm gonna clear out of here, let you guys do the family thing, and then I'll see you at two."  
  
"Thanks Alex."  
  
"Sure," the blonde smiled as she headed out the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey Jimmy!"  
  
The firefighter looked up. "Hey Davis," he greeted the cop. "What's up?"  
  
"You going to Kim and Bosco's later?"  
  
"After work to pick up Joey. He wanted to stay for Amanda's party."  
  
"Good," Ty dug into his back pocket. "This is for Amanda. Make sure she gets it, will ya? A couple of us went in on it together."  
  
"Sure. What is it?"  
  
"It's a charm shaped like a badge with NYPD and 5-5 on it."  
  
Jimmy laughed. "She'll love it."  
  
"We thought so. She's a daddy's girl."  
  
"Alright, see ya later man."  
  
Ty waved and then started into the house.  
  
"Davis? Have you seen Bosco?" It was Cruz.  
  
"Nah. It's not time for him to be here yet. I'm here to work out."  
  
"Oh. Who was that you were talking to?"  
  
"What you mean Jimmy? He's a firefighter."  
  
"Oh. Is he the one Kim was married to?"  
  
Now Ty considered himself a lot of things. Stupid wasn't one of them. Naïve, maybe, but not stupid. Cruz was fishing.  
  
"Married?"  
  
"Doherty and Bosco's wife. Weren't they married?"  
  
"Not as far as I know," Ty said.  
  
"Oh. Okay. Thanks."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Oooh! Thank you Grandma!" Amanda said when she opened the purse from Catherine.  
  
"You're welcome sweetie," Catherine kissed the top of her head.  
  
"It matches the shoes Nana gave me," she smiled at Rose.  
  
Catherine and Rose shared a smile as well once Amanda had gone back to opening her gifts.  
  
Bosco put his arms around Kim from behind as they stood in the doorway to the kitchen.  
  
"Think she liked my gift?" He whispered.  
  
"What girl wouldn't like NYPD and FDNY shirts?" Kim teased. "But yeah, I think she liked it. It was sweet."  
  
"Sorry to leave you alone with the party."  
  
"It's okay. Taylor's gonna help. I'll be okay. Just try and stop by, okay? But do not-"  
  
"I won't bring her into the house," Bosco promised.  
  
"Thank you." 


	136. How'd I let this get so far?

It seemed like the sound of the door closing echoed around in Bosco's ears for an hour or more. In reality, he'd only stood there for a few minutes this morning as Faith had told him that she was through with him. She had her own problems - couldn't take on any more of his. It had stung just as bad as if she'd slapped him in the face.  
  
"How'd I let this get so far?" he asked himself as he turned and walked down the stairs of the Precinct and outside toward their undercover car.  
  
He ran over the day's events in his mind. He never should have gone by Cruz's apartment yesterday - Kim would kill him if she found out. But, he had to find out for himself if Cruz was really as bad as she was starting to appear. He had to see what was in that notebook, but he was pretty sure she wouldn't just leave it sitting out in plain sight. He knew she didn't have it in her locker or her desk at work because he'd looked there when no one was around.  
  
She answered the door, dripping wet with a towel around her as she peeked through the open crack in the door. She was pretty surprised to see Bosco at her door and that sick smile that formed on her face told him he should just leave right then. But, he came to find the notebook - maybe talk to her about it. She let him in and stood there, letting the towel drop a little. She took a step toward him, but he held up a hand and backed up. She stopped and just looked at him for a moment, trying to figure out why he was there. She told him to sit down while she went in to get dressed. He looked around a little and finally found the notebook stuffed in the back of a drawer. He hadn't seen much of it, because he heard the hair dryer turn off and she came out of her room. He was sure that him standing in front of the drawer didn't escape her because he saw her quickly glance behind him at it.  
  
They talked awkwardly for a few minutes, and she never let him get to the topic that he wanted to. Finally, it was time for work and he offered to drive her to work. They talked a little about the case and what next steps to take. Bosco brought up Aaron Noble. "Something wrong about him," he told her.  
  
"Of course there is. He's a junkie," Cruz had told him. "But, we need him," she finished matter-of-factly. Bosco looked at her as they pulled up to the station.  
  
"How do you know that?" he asked, never noticing any sign of it.  
  
"I've seen his kind before," was all she would say. They walked into the House and then things went from bad to worse. The whole thing with Noble shooting that Disciple; Cruz's description of Stevie and telling her Detective friend that HE was the one that'd seen Stevie. She caught his look and knew how mad he was. But he told her exactly how he felt after they'd left the shooting scene. He noticed Faith watching him. She could always tell when he was in trouble "Why didn't I listen to her?" he said to himself, the anger rising again.  
  
And then, later, when they actually found this Stevie guy that Cruz had made up. What were the odds of that happening? Unless Cruz knew who the guy was and wanted him found so that Bosco could be in it as deep as she was. He couldn't talk to Kim about this. She wouldn't understand and she'd get frantic with worry. Kim was worried enough that he hadn't been able to sleep the last few nights. He was short-tempered with the kids and that made him angry with himself. So, he went to talk to Faith and she'd shut him out.  
  
"Now what?" he asked himself as they drove to the location for Buford's that Noble had given him. He thought back to that conversation in Noble's hotel room and it struck him suddenly. The woman on the balcony - it was Alex! He'd forgotten all about Kim telling him that Alex was starting to see someone she'd met during a call. Why didn't he recognize her then? "Because you were hung up on your own problems," he answered himself. He'd have to remember to warn Alex somehow about him.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted as he stood alongside the doorway across from Cruz. "On my count," she had said. And then, they went in. 


	137. Scary

"Hey, where's Kim?" Carlos asked coming into the kitchen. "I wanted to know if she wanted to drive today."  
  
"You don't want Kim driving the bus," DK said.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"'Cause she's liable to take out a civilian judging from the way she's been hitting the punching bag for the last hour," Billy said.  
  
"She okay?" Carlos asked.  
  
"We don't know. Joe tried to ask and she almost hit him," Billy said.  
  
"Really?" Carlos smirked.  
  
"You wouldn't think it was so funny if she'd taken a swing at you," Joe Lombardo said. "She's got a nasty right hook. She used it on Jimmy a few times after they got divorced."  
  
"She used it on Jimmy a few times before they got divorced," Billy added as the guys cleared out. They headed downstairs and Carlos cautiously went into the exercise room. He leaned against the doorjamb and watched Kim punch and kicked the hell out of the punching bag.  
  
He waited till she paused in her exercise before he spoke, "Wanna talk about it?"  
  
She turned around. "You scared me."  
  
"No, I didn't. You knew someone was watching you. You just didn't know it was me."  
  
Kim chuckled ruefully. "Busted. So, how'd you end up with 'find out what's wrong with Kim duty'?"  
  
"I let the guys go downstairs and I came in here."  
  
"Of your own free will?"  
  
"Don't sound so surprised."  
  
"Can't help it. We've never been that close."  
  
"I owe you. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be waiting tables."  
  
"You don't owe me Carlos. You were innocent and you're a good paramedic. We need those."  
  
"I owe you," he repeated coming in and sitting down. "I know I'm probably the last person you wanna talk to about your problems but I like to think that I've matured enough to listen to them."  
  
Kim smiled at that statement. "Oh really?"  
  
"Yes," Carlos smiled. "What's up?"  
  
"I'm scared and I'm pissed off."  
  
"What'd Bosco do now?"  
  
"I'm not pissed off at Bosco, I'm scared for him. He's not sleeping Carlos and the one person I thought might be able to get through to him has washed her hands of him."  
  
"Faith."  
  
"And that's where the pissed off comes in. I saw her before and I asked her to maybe try and help him out. But she's got her own problems and she can't help Bosco anymore."  
  
"She said that?"  
  
"Yeah, she said that. God, when I think of all the times I told Bosco lately that if there was one person he could trust to always have his back it was Faith, I feel so stupid."  
  
"Man, I can't believe it."  
  
"What? How selfish I am?"  
  
"No, how selfish she is. I knew they fought but no matter what, Bosco's always had Faith's back and she's always had hers."  
  
"You don't know the whole story. He lied to her about something important."  
  
"And she's never lied to him? Be honest, didn't you and Bobby lie to each other about something you thought might have hurt the other?"  
  
Kim nodded. "Once. I told Faith that and she said it was different with us."  
  
"That's a bunch of bull," Carlos said.  
  
Kim raised an eyebrow, "Exactly when did you get so wise?"  
  
"I lost my job and I found my brain."  
  
Kim laughed.  
  
"So, I take it you don't trust Cruz to have Bosco's back?"  
  
"She doesn't care about him. She doesn't love him."  
  
"And Faith does?"  
  
"She used to. Not the kind of love she and Fred have or the kind of love Bosco and I have but the kind of love reserved for your best friend and your best friend alone."  
  
"The way you love Bobby," Carlos said quietly.  
  
"Exactly," Kim nodded. "I'm scared that I'm gonna come back to the house one night and Davis and Sully are gonna be standing out in front waiting to tell me that Bosco's been killed because he was with Cruz when she decided to go after someone and she didn't wait for backup or till she knew they outnumbered the bad guys."  
  
"That is scary."  
  
"You can't even imagine how scary." 


	138. Hypocrite

Faith sat in the corner of the living room, only the light from the corner desk lamp shining the room. She had the stereo on very low so as not to wake anyone. She'd been there for about forty-five minutes. She couldn't sleep. All the things from today kept running through her head - her conversation with Emily; her disagreement with Fred ABOUT Emily; closing the door on Bosco and his problem. She still saw the look of confusion in his eyes. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, that was for sure. But, it wasn't like she hadn't warned him and now all this stuff with Emily was going on. She was stretched to the limit. She didn't know how much more pulling she could take. Something had to give. She rationalized it all in her mind, but it didn't help. She'd let her best friend in the world down. She hoped he'd be all right, but she wasn't too sure.  
  
She thought about the talk she had with Kim tonight. Kim was angry with her. She didn't blame her, but she was kind of angry with Kim for putting this on her. After all, SHE was Bosco's WIFE. If he wasn't going to listen to Kim, then why did she think he'd listen to Faith? Her words stung even now as she heard them again. "Faith, you're his partner. You've always been and always will be his partner, despite what's going on right now. I can't help him with this. I don't know how to help him with this anymore. He's stuck, and he's desperate, and he's scared. He was counting on you to help him. He's helped you plenty of times," she heard again. And then she heard what she'd dreaded most. "He almost took a bullet when you were sick and couldn't back him up. You kept that from him. And he forgave you for lying to him about the abortion. And you can't forgive him for this. That's pretty hypocritical, don't you think?" Kim had said.  
  
The words from "She's A Wild One," sung by one of her favorite singers, Faith Hill, crept into her mind from the stereo and she listened to them, tears suddenly springing to her eyes.  
  
"They said, 'You can't leave,' She said, 'Yes I will.' They said, 'Don't see him,' She said, 'His name is Bill.' She's on a roll, and its all uphill.  
  
"She's a wild one, with an angel's face, She's a woman child, in a state of grace. When she was three years old on her Daddy's knee, He said, 'You can be anything you want to be...' She's a wild one running free.  
  
"She loves rock and roll, They said, 'It's Satan's tongue. She thinks they're too old, They think she's too young. The battle lines are clearly drawn.  
  
"She's a wild one, with an angel's face, She's a woman child, in a state of grace. When she was three years old on her Daddy's knee, He said, 'You can be anything you want to be...' She's a wild one running free.  
  
"Faith?" came Fred's voice as he walked in the room and saw the tears on her face. "What's wrong?"  
  
She wiped the tears away. "Everything," she said simply.  
  
He sat down next to her and she leaned against him. He brought up his hand and smoothed her hair. "Not everything. What's wrong?" he asked again softly.  
  
"I'm messing everything up, Fred," she said, the tears falling faster now. "I'm ruining my relationship with my daughter. I'm driving her away from me when all I really want to do is protect her and help her make the right decisions," she said, a sob escaping her throat.  
  
"It's a rough time right now. Remember what you put your mother through?" he offered.  
  
"This is nothing like that, Fred. My mother had her own problems," she said. "I'm just so afraid, Fred. I'm afraid that she's going to end up hurt - or worse - in a coma again or dead. I have to prevent that, Fred, I just don't know how," she said, grabbing a tissue from the desk.  
  
"We'll find the answers on how to do that together, Faith. I promise," Fred said. "In the meantime, it's good that she's still talking with me. If I have to tell her certain things that she wants to hear in order to keep those lines of communication open, then so be it. Believe me, I'm just as scared as you are - except that you have a visual picture of what could happen from being out there with it every day. I'm terrified, Faith," he said, leaning his chin on the top of her head.  
  
"Thanks, Fred. For keeping everyone on an even keel," she told him, tipping her head back and giving him a kiss.  
  
"What else?" he asked her, knowing that the incident with Bosco was upsetting her also.  
  
"What d'you mean?" she asked, listening to the silence that filled the room now that the CD was over.  
  
"What's going on with Bosco?" he asked.  
  
"Oh. That. He's got himself all screwed up and now he's stuck. I tried to warn him, but he didn't want to listen. After Hobart got himself killed, he wanted Anti-Crime so bad, he followed Cruz right off the cliff. Now he's looking for a branch to grab onto to break his fall. I want to help him, but I don't know how. And, with Emily, I don't think I have the strength, Fred. I'm afraid I'll fall off the cliff with him. I'm that close to breaking...," she broke off, biting her lip to hold back more tears. Fred embraced her tighter. Truth be told, Bosco's predicament was weighing heavily on her. Had she done enough to try to help him? "Is there anything more to be done or is it too late?" she asked herself more than one.  
  
"It's like having another kid," Fred stated, not trying to be mean, but stating a fact.  
  
"I know, but by the same token I know for a fact that he'd give his life for me if it came right down to it," she said with confidence.  
  
"And you'd do the same for him. I know that and I pray every day that it doesn't come to that, Faith," Fred said.  
  
Faith leaned into Fred closer. "I have to find a way to help him, Fred. I won't be able to forgive myself if something terrible happens and I have a feeling that something's about to," she said.  
  
"Well, you're not going to solve it now. Come to bed and we'll think about everything again in the morning - when we're fresh," Fred said, getting up and holding a hand out to help her.  
  
She let out a big sigh and took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "I'll try. But, if I'm keeping you awake, I'm coming back out here. One of us has to have a level head around here," she said as they both walked toward the bedroom. 


	139. Fallen Knights

These heroes are dead. They died for liberty-they died for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or storm, each in the windowless palace of rest. Earth may run red with other wars-they are at peace. In the midst of battles, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death.  
  
Memorial Day Vision. - Robert Green Ingersoll  
  
========================================================================  
  
"Fifty-fifth Precinct. This is Sgt. Nacredi."  
  
"Hey Mike, it's Kim Boscorelli."  
  
"Hi Kim," the man greeted kindly. "How are you?"  
  
"I've had better days. I don't suppose Bosco's around, is he?"  
  
"Sorry. He's still out."  
  
"Yokas around?"  
  
"Faith? No, she's on her meal."  
  
"Oh," Kim said. "Okay. Uh, just tell either of them to call me when they get in."  
  
"Sure. Oh, and Kim?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We heard about Taylor. We're all sorry."  
  
"Thanks Mike," Kim said quietly. "Talk to to you later."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Kim hung up her cell phone and put it away. She was still at the hospital. Everyone was hanging around, not quite sure what to do. She'd seen Davis take Mrs. Taylor back home after the woman had seen Alex one last time and signed papers.  
  
"Kim?"  
  
She looked up. Billy Walsh was heading towards her. "Hey Billy, what's up?"  
  
"A bunch of us are heading out. You want a ride back to the house?"  
  
"Yeah," she nodded. "Uh, have you seen Carlos?"  
  
"No, not lately. I'm sure he'll be okay on his own."  
  
"Yeah, I hope so," Kim nodded.  
  
She and Billy walked back towards the ambulance bay where the trucks and buses were.  
  
"Guess we should start getting used to calling you Boss, huh?"  
  
Kim looked at him, "Uh, no. He'll probably tell everyone later but Doc's taking it this time around."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Nope," Kim shook her head.  
  
"Man, I didn't think he'd ever accept a promotion."  
  
"You and me both," Kim said. She looked at him, "So, you okay?"  
  
"Nah, not really."  
  
"Me neither."  
  
"Hey, where's Bosco? I thought he'd be here."  
  
"Yeah, me too. But I can't get a hold of him," Kim said quietly. "But I did get my mom on the phone. She's got the kids over at her house and she said she's not letting them watch the news till I get home."  
  
"Probably a smart idea," Billy nodded. "Climb on up," he gave her his hand and helped her into the truck before climbing in behind her.  
  
D.K. started the truck up and pulled out into the street.  
  
The ride to Camelot was silent as they mourned the loss of one of their knights. 


	140. A Flash

Hate to say it guys but until we start hearing spoilers or things about the new season I'm afraid Patti and I are going on hiatus. I hope to see you for the next chapter in the fall. Have a great summer. (  
  
===================================================================  
  
The crew hung around the house, no one saying much of anything. It was just the comfort of everyone being together. Some of the guys from the next shift had heard about it on the news or word of mouth - news like that spreads to the ranks quickly - and come in early. They were prepared to pick up the slack for their shocked and still somewhat disbelieving fellow firefighters and medics for the rest of the shift as well as waiting around to hear about the services.  
  
No one had seen Carlos. The bus was there and everything was cleaned up and back in order, but no Carlos. Kim slowly walked up the stairs. She got upstairs and sat on one of the bunks and dialed her cell phone.  
  
She got Bosco's voicemail again. "Hey, Hon. I'm at work. We're all hanging out here for a while. Mom's got the kids, but I talked to them," she said, pausing and taking a deep breath as the realization finally hit her. She flashed on the night that Bobby was killed and saw the all the blood all over him, the floor and herself. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. "I, um, really need you. So, call me as soon as you can, okay? Love you. Be safe," she finished in a shaky voice before hanging up. She was worried that she hadn't heard from him. He was working with Cruz today and she always hated that, but now she couldn't get hold of him.  
  
Kim heard a noise from outside the window. She walked over and looked out, not seeing anything out of the ordinary on the street. She looked up and saw Carlos up on the roof on the other side of the building. The roof was a good thinking spot; a good place to be when you wanted to be alone. "So that's where you went," she mumbled to herself. Kim walked over to the sink and looked in the mirror. She took her hair down and rearranged it in the ponytail. She turned on the faucet and splashed some cool water on her face to hide the tearstains. Taking a deep breath she turned to go up to the roof to see if Carlos was okay.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Bosco's mind raced all the way over to Noble's hotel room. The red flashing of the lights assaulting his eyes and the sound of the siren bouncing around inside his ears. "What have I done?" he thought out loud to himself. He could picture Faith being caught off guard as she searched Noble's room. He took the turn at high speed, sliding on the pavement and guiding the car around the turn. He flashed back to the sounds of squealing tires and metal crashing into metal as the mental picture of the accident scene replayed in his head. He could see Cruz's car up ahead - its lights and siren going also. She was really moving along and he pressed the accelerator down further. The buildings and streetlights whizzed by his peripheral vision.  
  
He thought back to his conversation with Faith earlier. She was still so pissed at him. She didn't want to hear anything he'd had to say. He finally caught her attention as she walked away by telling her about the guy he and Cruz were about to frame for murder. That always got her - an injustice against an innocent. Just look what happened when that gangbanger went after Little Nimo - cut his throat. Oh, it was wrong to leave him under that bridge to be beaten to death by that rival gang; but, was it any better than what Cruz was doing to avenge the death of her sister? He thought about that as he barreled after Cruz through the darkened streets of the City. No, it wasn't, but it was. He understood it - he didn't agree with it - but he understood it and went along with it. That was water under the bridge. This was something else entirely. This wasn't just affecting one person this time. This whole thing had major repercussions - collateral damage.  
  
Bosco smiled to himself as he barely missed a taxi cab that was speeding in the other direction. He maneuvered around and cleared the intersection. He didn't know if Faith was going to help him or not as she walked away from him. He'd hoped she was. He took the chance and called Noble to meet him. When Cruz called the House and was told that Faith was on her meal break, he knew - he just knew it in his gut that she was at Noble's, helping him. He had to get there - to back up his partner.  
  
Bosco pulled up to the hotel and saw Cruz's car outside - empty, with the driver's door still open and the lights still flashing. He parked alongside her car and got out and hurried into the building. He grabbed an elevator and reached the floor. He got out and walked toward the room. The door was open and he walked in quietly. He heard voices in the back. "Faith?!" he called out. He heard her respond, "I'm back here, Bosco!" There was tension in her voice so he knew that Cruz had found her. He walked slowly and quietly down the hallway and into the room.  
  
He took in the scene before him. Faith was standing facing Cruz. He looked at her hand and saw that she'd found the gun. It was wrapped in a cloth and she was holding it by the barrel. Cruz stood facing Faith. He could see her tense slightly as she felt him enter the room, just out of her line of vision. She had her gun drawn, but it was at her side. He stole a glance at Faith and saw the nervousness and anger in her eyes. Then, Noble came in behind him and it distracted Cruz slightly as he started talking.  
  
"C'mon Faith," he said to his partner. They both started to move and Cruz's attention was drawn back to them. Faith looked at Bosco. They made brief eye contact - enough to convey to each other what was about to happen. They'd always been able to do that - talk without saying a word. It's part of what made them such a great team. He saw that now. Why couldn't he see that before? He heard the angry words coming from Cruz's mouth, but he was thinking about how much he'd changed lately - how much even he didn't like what he'd become.  
  
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, even though it wasn't. He saw Faith start to hand Cruz the gun. He noticed the very slight motion of her arm flinching as she made her move to turn the gun on Cruz. He reached back and took his gun out as he saw Cruz raise her weapon at Faith. He yelled, "NO!" Kim and the kids flashed through his mind as the flash of the three guns discharging filled the room. 


	141. I Don't Want to Talk

Okay so I lied but I mean it this time, this is the last chapter for the season. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------  
"Nice night," Kim said after she walked out on the roof.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it Kim," Carlos said.  
  
"Hey, who said I wanted to talk? I just like the view sometimes," she told him, settling into a chair. "Besides it's not as cold as it has been."  
  
Carlos sighed. He knew Kim a little bit better than either of them liked to let on. They both knew she was out there to talk to him. Might as well get started. He went and sat down in the chair next to her.  
  
"You okay?" he asked.  
  
"No, not so much." she looked at him. "You?"  
  
"Not really. How's everyone else?"  
  
"Sad. Mad."  
  
"How's Mrs. Taylor? I didn't see her at the hospital."  
  
"She's less then okay at the moment," Kim said quietly. "I think part of her blames Alex's dad."  
  
"Chief Taylor," Carlos nodded.  
  
"Yeah. She said that from the time Alex could walk she wanted to do everything her father did. Fishing. Football. Whenever he'd fix something around the house, she'd just watch. She got kinda quiet after she said the part about him getting himself killed."  
  
"Right," Carlos nodded.  
  
"How's Davis?"  
  
"I don't know. I called the station and they said he'd taken the rest of the shift as lost time. I tried the apartment but if he's there he's not picking up."  
  
"Maybe he went to see his mom," Kim theorized.  
  
"Yeah that could be it. I never know what to say to him when things like this happen."  
  
"You mean when people on the job die in the line?"  
  
"Yeah. You know why right?"  
  
"Yeah. His dad died on the job. Taylor told me."  
  
"Think she knew?"  
  
"Knew what?"  
  
"That I was lying when I said that she'd be okay."  
  
"I don't think what you said mattered. I think the way you said it did. You were trying to comfort her. You knew that she was going to die. She knew she was going to die. In the end, how we die isn't important. It's who's there with you that does. Alex was with her friends, her family. For that, she was okay. She knew that we'd take care of her."  
  
"Thank you," Carlos said quietly.  
  
"Sure," Kim sniffled. "Can I tell you a secret?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Mrs. Taylor kind of scared me tonight."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Alex adored her dad. She wanted to do everything he did. Amanda adores Bosco. What if...?" Kim didn't finish the thought.  
  
She didn't need to. Carlos knew what she was thinking. "Then you'll worry about her, but on the day she graduates from the academy you'll be proud of her. You and Bosco will hold hands and he'll get choked up because his little girl is following in his footsteps. Joey and Johnny will tease her but they'll be proud of their sister and they'll worry about her too. It's what a family does Kim."  
  
"You really did find your brain," Kim sniffled and laughed at the same time.  
  
"Yeah I guess I did," Carlos laughed too. "I wouldn't worry. Amanda has a long time before she has to start thinking about jobs. By then, she might want to become a doctor or a lawyer."  
  
"Or an Indian chief," Kim laughed. Then she started to laugh harder.  
  
"What?" Carlos asked.  
  
"I was just thinking about Jimmy's wedding."  
  
Carlos started to laugh too. "Or the time they hung her on the wall. Oh man you should have been there to see that. I only heard about it but they say she was up there for hours."  
  
"She once told Bobby that it was a tradition for her to have a threesome on the night she slept with a guy for the first time."  
  
The two paramedics laughed for a few more minutes before they sobered.  
  
"She'll be alright," Kim nodded.  
  
"She's got her dad and Bobby. They'll help her," Carlos agreed. "C'mon. Let's go get some of the guys and go have a beer or something."  
  
"Sounds good. But let's just sit for a little while longer."  
  
"Okay," Carlos leaned back in his chair.  
  
Kim and Carlos sat without talking after that, together with their thoughts. The still night was interrupted by the sound of Kim's cell phone ringing... 


	142. Aftermath of a Really Bad Day

"Finally," Kim said in relief as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket. Carlos knew that she'd been trying to reach him for quite a while and was getting nervous that she couldn't. No one at the Precinct would tell her where he was - just that he was tied up with something. Deciding to give her a little privacy, Carlos stood up and whispered that he was going down with the guys.  
  
"Hey. I've been trying to reach you," she said sadly into the phone.  
  
"I'm sorry. I heard about Alex and the Lieutenant. Are you okay? Where're the kids?" Bosco asked, and Kim immediately picked up on the tension and sadness in his voice.  
  
"I'm okay, I think. They're with my Mom. She's gonna keep them until I call her - she'll get them off to school this morning. What's wrong?" she asked, turning and walking away from the group.  
  
"I..., um...., I'm at the hospital. Where are you?" he said, and she tensed thinking that the reason she couldn't reach him was that he was hurt.  
  
"I'm at the House. What happened? Are you okay?" she asked urgently, starting for the stairs down from the roof. Jimmy, DK and Billy saw the expression on her face as she rushed past them in the kitchen. She threw Jimmy a look as she stopped abruptly and grabbed his keys from his coat pocket to use his car.  
  
"I'm fine. It's uh..., it's Faith, Kim. She just got out of surgery. She got hurt pretty bad," he told her, his voice cracking.  
  
"Bos? Oh God, what happened? I'm coming. Where are you?" Kim asked, picking up her pace.  
  
"I'm in the ER waiting room. Fred didn't want me up there. He's pretty pissed at me. I screwed up, Kim. Really screwed up this time," he said, his voice finally giving way to his emotions. Kim climbed into Jimmy's car and started off toward the hospital.  
  
After a few minutes of trying to get information out of him and only getting half-formed thoughts from him, she said, "I'm almost there, Baby. Just hang on."  
  
A few minutes later, she pulled into the hospital parking lot, threw the car in park and jumped out, rushing to the ER entrance.  
  
She turned the corner, scanned the room, and saw him sitting in a chair off by himself. He looked so lost, it broke her heart. But, she also saw the anger in his face - the tightening of his jaw and the way he chewed on the inside of his cheek when he was really mad. He looked up and saw her standing there and hung up his phone. She hung up and put her phone back in her pocket as she approached him, doing a visual inspection to assure herself that he was okay. He had the start of a black eye, but that was all that she could see - aside from the terrible sadness and anger on his face.  
  
She walked over and he stood up in front of her, practically falling into her arms. "What?" she asked. "Bos, what happened, Honey," she asked him, but he only stood there, holding her so tight she could hardly breathe.  
  
Bosco breathed in the scent of her, immediately making him relax somewhat. "Are you okay?" he asked her. "I mean, Alex and Lieu. I'm so sorry, Kim," he said, stepping back and looking at Kim as tears glistened again in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"  
  
"I will be. I just don't know how much more of this I can take," she said, fresh tears falling again. "First Bobby, now Alex and Lieu. It was awful," she said, burying her head on his shoulder, the tears soaking into his jacket as she remembered the scene that played out at the accident.  
  
After a moment, she regained control and looked at him. "What happened to Faith? How bad is it?" she asked, putting a hand on the side of his face and tracing the edge of the reddish-purplish bruise that was forming. He flinched slightly at her touch and then relaxed at the feel of it.  
  
"We were at Noble's apartment. Well, Faith was there first...," he said and then went on to explain the events of the night. After he'd finished, Kim stood in front of him not really knowing what to say. "Now, she's upstairs with a bullet near her spine and a collapsed lung. The doctor said that it wasn't doing any damage so they left it in."  
  
"How's Cruz?" Kim asked.  
  
"She's gonna be alright. My shot glanced off her head," he lied, not wanting to tell her that Cruz got shot in the head by Faith as she was hit by Cruz's bullet. "She's got a concussion, I guess. She's conscious now and being questioned."  
  
"Good. Then she'll get what's coming to her," Kim said, trying to hider her disdain for Cruz.  
  
Bosco shook his head. "It's my fault, Kimmy. It's my fault that Faith's lying up there with a bullet in her," he said, tears forming in his eyes and the emotion threatening to make his voice crack.  
  
Kim moved closer to him again. "It's not your fault. It's Cruz's fault. You didn't shoot her, Bos. Cruz did. You did the only thing you could've done in shooting Cruz. You said yourself that she was about to shoot Faith again. And, as far as Noble - well first, I can't believe that he was as involved as he was - I mean he had everyone fooled. He seemed like such a normal guy," she said, the shock of what Bosco had just told her still fresh. "Well, you had to shoot him. He was about to shoot at you and Faith," she finished.  
  
"C'mon. Let's get you home," she said, seeing the weariness in his eyes. She needed to get him away from all the commotion - the Department brass, the other officers that milled about casting glances at him.  
  
"I don't want to leave Faith," he said, torn between making sure that Faith was okay and needing to be there for Kim.  
  
"Do you want to go up and see if you can see her?" Kim asked. He shook his head.  
  
"Fred doesn't want me anywhere near her or the family. He made that clear," he said, touching his eye. "He blames me - like he should." He thought back to the look on Emily's face and shuddered.  
  
"Oh c'mon, Bos. He understands that Faith was doing her job," Kim said, only to be interrupted by the anger in Bosco's voice - an anger she hadn't seen in quite some time.  
  
He stepped back from her abruptly. "NO! It IS my fault. If it wasn't for me screwing up with Cruz, then Faith would never have been there. Faith told me, but I wouldn't listen. Hell, YOU told me! It was me, Kim, ALL ME!" he said, pacing in the room and getting nervous looks from some of the other people waiting in the room.  
  
"Sshhh," Kim said, walking up behind him and putting a hand on his back. "C'mon. I'll go see how Faith is and then we'll go home. We both need to get some rest. Have you called your Mom to let her know you're alright. She's probably worried after watching the news," Kim said.  
  
Bosco shook his head, "She said she gave up watching the news a long time ago - afraid that she'd hear my name and see some crime scene where a police officer was hurt or killed," he said quietly. "I'll call her later," he said, turning to her again.  
  
"I mean it Kim. I really screwed up. The Department will probably come down hard on me for this," he said, thinking of how he'd told his Lieutenant that he shot Cruz when it was Faith who'd done it. He just wanted to keep her out of it as much as possible. He'd take all the blame - he earned it. He thought about the information he'd gotten from the FBI, still not believing that Cruz was working for them. He just hoped that it wouldn't affect his family too much.  
  
"C'mon," Kim said almost in a whisper. "Let's go home. I'll call to check on Faith when we get home. I can have Dana check on her for me. Please, Bos," she said, gentle pressure pushing him toward the door.  
  
They walked outside and hailed a cab, both of them leaning against the other in the backseat on the drive home.  
  
()()()()()()()()  
  
"Hello?" Her voice was quiet.  
  
"Kim, it's Jimmy."  
  
Kim sighed. "Hi Jimmy."  
  
"Hey, where's my car?"  
  
Kim winced. "It's at the hospital. I have the keys here with me. So sorry."  
  
"It's okay. I'll get them when I pick up Joey."  
  
"He's at Mom's."  
  
"Oh. Okay. Is everything okay?"  
  
Kim bit her lip and looked towards the bedroom door. "Actually, no. Can you come here?"  
  
"I'll be over in a little while," Jimmy told her.  
  
"I'll wait for you outside."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim was on the front steps of her building when Jimmy walked up.  
  
"Hey," he said as he got closer.  
  
She looked up. "Hey." She scooted over and let him sit down next to her. "Here are your keys."  
  
"Thanks," he took them. "So, I know you didn't ask me over to talk about my keys."  
  
Kim smiled faintly, "You always did know me way too well."  
  
"Marriage will do that," Jimmy kidded.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What's up Kimmy?"  
  
"It's Bosco."  
  
"Is he okay?"  
  
"Physically the only thing that happened was a black eye but mentally and emotionally I think he's really messed up."  
  
"He feels guilty about Faith?"  
  
"Yeah and I think there's something else. Something he's not telling me. It's just this look I catch in his eyes sometimes, ya know?"  
  
"Have you asked him about it?"  
  
"I don't want to push things right now but there's something tearing him up inside Jimmy and it scares me to think that he can tell me and he won't or that he's scared to tell me."  
  
"Kim, I'm gonna ask you something, but before I do, I want your word that you're not going to hit me."  
  
"No, Jimmy, I don't think he slept with Maritza Cruz."  
  
"Okay. Then what do you think?"  
  
"I don' t know." Kim said as she wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on her knees.  
  
Jimmy nodded and then he looked at her. It was only her profile but he could see a few tears running down her face. "Hey," he whispered.  
  
"I hate this. I can't keep doing it Jimmy. I can't keep losing people," she said in a hushed voice.  
  
Jimmy didn't think twice about pulling her into an embrace. "It's okay Kimmy. Shh..." 


	143. Kim, Bosco, & The Horrible, NoGood, Very...

Bosco checked his watch after watching Cruz jog away. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Catherine's.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Joey? Hey it's me."  
  
"Hi Dad," Joey said.  
  
"Your mom there?"  
  
"No, Grandma, Amanda, Johnny, and I just got here."  
  
"Can I talk to your Gran?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Bosco?"  
  
"Hey Catherine. I thought Kim was dropping the kids off on her way to the service."  
  
"Change of plans. I picked them up and took them to eat so Kim could get dressed in quiet."  
  
"Oh. Thanks. Did she say what time she was leaving?"  
  
"No but I think the service is set for two. At least that's what time the boat's supposed to set sail."  
  
"Okay, thanks Catherine."  
  
"Of course," his mother-in-law said before she hung up.  
  
Bosco hung up and then dialed home. "C'mon Kimmy, be there."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim heard the phone ringing as she turned off the blow dryer. She went into the bedroom to pick up the extension but wasn't able to beat the answering machine.  
  
'Hi, we're not home so leave a message.'  
  
"Damn. Kim it's me. Look, I tried to get you at your mom's but she said your plans changed. I am so sorry to do this but I'm not gonna be able to make the service. Something came up. I promise to make it up to you. I love you. Bye."  
  
Kim sighed as she sat down on her bed after Bosco's message ended. She did not want to go to the service alone. She thought about calling Mel but dismissed the thought remembering that her sister was upstate for the week with some friends. She looked at the phone and picked it. She dialed the only other person she felt comfortable going with.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, it's me. Um, how are you getting to the service?"  
  
"Driving. Why?"  
  
"Can you swing by for me?"  
  
"What about Bosco?"  
  
"He got caught up with something."  
  
"I'll be there in half an hour."  
  
"Perfect. Thanks Jimmy."  
  
"Sure."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim sat out on the deck watching the sky darken. Mrs. Taylor had decided to have the wake on the ship as well as the funeral. It had been a nice service and Carlos' speech had been right on. Alex had been the most stubborn person she'd ever met. Although Kim wasn't sure she would have gone with calling her a pain in the ass.  
  
IGood, now you can call someone who cares./I  
  
Then again, Kim mused with a smile as Alex's voice floated through her head.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey Jimmy. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing. I was looking for you."  
  
"Any special reason?" Kim said moving her feet so Jimmy had some room to sit down next to her.  
  
"Wanted to know if you felt like talking about anything."  
  
"Actually, I did. I wanted to know why you were talking to the cops the other day."  
  
"Oh, I was just trying to find out more about the accident."  
  
"Like what caused it?"  
  
"For starters," Jimmy nodded.  
  
"It was a police chase. But apparently it had been shut down before the accident occurred."  
  
"Oh. Who was doing the chasing?"  
  
"No idea. But Sully or Davis might know. They were there before us."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay. I'll ask Davis tomorrow. Hey, some of us were talking about going out for a beer after we dock. You interested?"  
  
"Yeah. I think that'd be good." Kim smiled. "Thanks for this Jimmy. You didn't have to pick me up."  
  
"It's cool. Too bad Bosco wasn't able to make it."  
  
"Something came up."  
  
Jimmy gave her a little look before nodding.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I know that look. That look says you don't buy it."  
  
"Do you buy it?"  
  
"I don't know. There's still this feeling that there's something going on that he's not telling me about and if I'm right, I really wish he'd tell me already because it's getting to the point where I'm wondering if IAB's gonna come knocking on my door looking for Bosco because he did something illegal." Kim looked at Jimmy. "And why am I telling this to you?"  
  
"Why? 'Cause no matter what else happens Kim, we're still friends. I still- "  
  
"Don't. Don't say that okay? It's way too late."  
  
"Fair enough. But if you need someone I will be there."  
  
"I know."  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Bosco let himself into the apartment hours after seeing Faith. It was quiet. "Kim?" he called, thinking maybe that she was in bed and the kids were still at Catherine's. No answer. He made his way into the bedroom and saw that it was empty. The light was blinking on the machine. He pressed the button and sat down on the bed. His message played first and then Kim's voice filled the room.  
  
"Bos? You there? Okay, guess not. Look, I don't know what your plans are for the evening but I'm going to Haggerty's with some of the guys and then I'm gonna spend the night at my mom's with the kids. See you in the morning. Love you. Bye."  
  
An electronic voice told him that there were no more messages and the machine beeped. Bosco debated going down to Haggerty's to see Kim but he decided against that. She hadn't said she wanted to see him and he wasn't feeling real social. He kicked off his shoes and took off his jacket. Then he shed his pants and shirt before he crawled into bed. He was tired as hell but it was a while before mind slowed down enough to let sleep claim him. 


	144. Hey Jealousy

Bosco awoke and instinctively reached for Kim. Finding the bed alongside him empty, he looked up and then remembered the phone message that Kim and the kids had spent the night at Catherine's. He looked at the clock and decided to get up and grab a shower.  
  
He finished his shower and walked out to the kitchen barefoot with only his jeans, unbuttoned at the waist, and a towel around his shoulders - his hair still damp and uncombed. He started the coffee and then decided that he'd call Kim to see if she wanted to meet him for breakfast. The kids had been up and out to school for about an hour, so he knew that Kim was already up.  
  
Bosco dialed Catherine's number and looked around in the refrigerator for something to snack on before meeting Kim. He was shocked when a male voice, sounding half-asleep, answered the phone.  
  
"Doherty?" Bosco said, recognizing the voice and wondering what the hell he was doing there.  
  
"Oh, hey Bosco. Hang on..," he said and then called over his shoulder to Kim. "Kim, it's Bosco."  
  
Bosco heard the phone change hands and a chuckle from Kim. "Hey, how are you?" Kim said cheerfully into the phone.  
  
"I'm good. What the hell is Doherty doing there?" Bosco asked, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.  
  
"What?" Kim said, taken back by his tone. "We were at Haggerty's after Alex's service and he had too much to drink. I told him I'd drive his car and he could crash here. I didn't think he should be driving," Kim explained, still somewhat surprised by Bosco's attitude.  
  
"Uh huh," Bosco answered. "So, how were the kids this morning? I missed them, and you. Sorry I couldn't make it to the service. How'd it go?" he asked.  
  
"They're good. We missed you too. It was okay, sad. Doc didn't show, so Carlos gave a little speech instead. So, what time did you get home last night?" Kim asked.  
  
"Carlos?! That must have been interesting. I got in really late. I was going to call you, but I figured you were either still at Haggerty's or sleeping," Bosco answered curtly, thinking again about Jimmy spending the night. "I wanted to know if you wanted to meet me somewhere for breakfast?" he asked her.  
  
"Oh. I do, but I promised my Mom I'd go with her to the mall. She's got a date and wants me to help her pick something out to wear. I'm sorry," she said, truly sorry to have to miss seeing him before their shift. "How about we meet up for dinner tonight during work. Then, we have two whole days off together. I really did miss you last night," she said, lowering her voice and putting that certain tone in it that always got Bosco's attention.  
  
"Yeah?" he said. "How much?" he said, teasing her.  
  
There was a pause and then Kim decided she didn't have enough privacy to answer him. Clearing her throat she said, "A lot." Bosco laughed at the frustration in her voice.  
  
"Okay. I'll stop in while I'm working," he said.  
  
"Love you. Be careful," Kim said before hanging up.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Bosco walked into the firehouse to find it too quiet. Everyone was still feeling the effects of losing two of their own so things were pretty glum. None of the usual teasing and horseplay. Sasha had decided to wait in the car while Bosco firmed up plans to meet for dinner. Bosco walked in through the kitchen and saw Jimmy and Kim sitting next to each other talking quietly.  
  
Walking to the doorway, he made sure to scuff his foot on the ground to get their attention. Jimmy saw him first.  
  
"Hey, Bosco. How are you?" Jimmy said, standing up. Bosco only nodded to acknowledge him and Jimmy noticed the angered look on his face.  
  
"Hey, Babe," Kim said, getting up and walking over to him. She leaned into him and gave him a kiss, but felt the cool response from him in the stiffness of his body.  
  
"You okay?" she asked, wondering if something happened. "What happened last night?" she asked, finally able to talk to him about why he couldn't make Alex's service.  
  
"I'm fine," he said shortly. "Stuff I can't talk about. But, I'm okay. So, you want to meet up for dinner?" he asked, changing the subject while giving Jimmy an irritated look.  
  
"Yeah. When do you get dinner tonight?" she asked, walking him into the kitchen away from Jimmy.  
  
"7:30," he answered, looking at her. "So, what were you two talking about?"  
  
"Who? Oh, me and Jimmy? Nothing really," she said. "You sure you're okay? You seem upset."  
  
"I'm fine. Well, I gotta get going. Faith's coming home from the hospital today and we're escorting the bus," he said coolly.  
  
"Yeah, Carlos and Rossi are going to get her. Tell her I said hi," Kim said, walking out with him.  
  
"If I get close enough," he said sadly, walking toward the RMP where Sasha was waiting.  
  
"Bos?" Kim called to him. He turned back to her.  
  
"Nothing," she said, deciding not to push it any further, even though she wanted him to let her in. "I'll call you if we get tied up on a call," she said instead.  
  
"Yeah, me too," he said and she watched him get in the patrol car and drive off.  
  
"Bosco, why won't you open up to me? I hate to see you like this," she said to herself.  
  
"Any luck?" Jimmy asked, walking out behind her. They'd been talking about how Bosco was shutting her out and she told Jimmy how worried she was. That's what they were talking about when Bosco came in. Jimmy had offered to talk to Bosco, but Kim nixed that idea. No way was he going to listen to Jimmy Doherty, of all people.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
As the night went, Kim and Bosco never did meet up for dinner because of the whole thing with the truck full of contagious Asians.  
  
Now, Bosco sat on the bench in front of his locker changing into his street clothes. He looked over to Faith's locker, where she'd be getting changed after their shift together. He thought about her lying in the hospital bed and the same sick feeling came over him as he remembered Fred's words about her being paralyzed.  
  
The door to the locker room opened and even without looking up, he knew that Cruz had walked into the room. The tension in the air was that strong. He stood up and put his foot up on the bench to tie his shoe when he felt her right behind him.  
  
"That was a wild shift, huh?" she asked. Startled by her closeness, Bosco stood upright and faced her. He was surprised at the look in her eyes - the same look that she gave him when she had come onto him back when all this had started.  
  
"Uh huh," he said and then turned away from her. He put his other foot up and tied that shoe. Before he could get his stuff out of his locker and close the door to leave, she had grabbed him and turned him around to face her. Before he could stop her, she was up against him and had her mouth on his.  
  
Grabbing her by both arms, he pushed her away. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he looked around quickly, hoping that there was someone else in the room that had witnessed what she'd just done.  
  
Pointing a finger at her, he angrily said, "What the hell d'you think you're doing? Look, Cruz. Stay away from me. I want nothing more to do with you. You're bad news. Yokas knew it, Kim knew it. They tried to warn me, but I didn't see it. I was wrong and Yokas paid the price for it. Just stay the hell away from me." He slammed his locker shut and stormed out of the locker room and out the front door.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kim had finished checking on the kids and flopped alongside Bosco on the bed, letting out a big sigh.  
  
"Everyone okay?" Bosco asked her quietly, the only light in the room coming from the alarm clock.  
  
"Yeah. Joey's kind of freaked. He's really starting to listen to the news now. We have to pay more attention to what's on the television. That thing about the possible plague really freaked him out," Kim replied.  
  
"He's not the only one that got freaked out. Here we were chasing this guy and nobody told us what was wrong with him. That kind of pissed me off - especially since we were the ones to find him," Bosco said, slight irritation to his voice, but not wanting to let Kim know that it was he and Cruz who'd found him - not he and Sasha Monroe.  
  
"So, how WAS your shift with Monroe?" Kim asked, looking sideways and barely being able to make out his profile as her eyes adjusted to the dark.  
  
"It was okay. We were assigned to Faith's place in case she needed anything. So, not much happened until we were pulled to help look for that Asian guy," he said. "So, you took the medication they were handing out, right?" he asked, looking over to her, concerned that she may have caught something from treating the patients.  
  
"Yup. One of the first to take it. Not to worry," she said, reaching over and taking hold of his hand, her arm resting against his.  
  
"So, how'd things go at Faith's?" she asked him and she felt him tense at the subject.  
  
"I waited outside. They don't want me there. Sasha went in. She looks scared as hell," he said.  
  
"Sasha?" Kim asked.  
  
"No. Faith. I don't know how she's gonna deal with this if it's permanent," Bosco said.  
  
"It won't be. The doctor said it was temporary, right? Just until the swelling goes down," Kim tried to reassure him.  
  
"Uh huh," he said, stifling a yawn.  
  
"You sound tired," she said.  
  
"We chased that guy forever," he said, half laughing. "For being so sick, he sure could haul ass!" Kim laughed along with him.  
  
"So, who caught him? You or Monroe?" she asked, knowing how competitive he was and that he wouldn't let a girl - let alone a new partner - outrun him.  
  
"Actually me and Cruz caught him," he said, finally deciding to get it out in the open.  
  
"Cruz?" Kim said, and this time Bosco felt Kim tense. "What the hell was she doing there?"  
  
"She's back on the streets - in uniform," he said and Kim could tell he was smiling at the thought of her demotion.  
  
"And she's working with you?"  
  
"No. She just helped us corral the guy. I followed this guy as he climbed up the bridge and then ran along it until Cruz cut him off with the RMP. He had nowhere to go, but he dove over the side. I thought for sure he'd gone into the water, but there he was with his leg pinned between the bridge and the work scaffolding. We had to call in FDNY to get him out," he relayed to her.  
  
"Was Jimmy there?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Bosco asked, a slight feeling of jealousy creeping in. She'd been talking to him a lot lately. At first, he assumed it was because of Alex and the Lieutenant, but now it seemed more frequent and they'd stop if he walked in.  
  
"I'm just wondering if he took the medication since he was in contact with the guy too," Kim said.  
  
"Well, the guy's alright I thought. Davis said that he just seemed to have a bad cold or somethin'" Bosco replied.  
  
"Yeah, well. Better safe than sorry," Kim countered. "I mean, he'll be around Joey, who'll be around Johnny and Amanda. Look, did I say something wrong?" Kim asked, feeling as if she was being interrogated.  
  
"No," Bosco answered too quickly and with irritation. "I guess I'm just tired," he said, turning over - his back now to Kim. "By the way, I took the medicine too. Just in case you were worried."  
  
"Bosco," Kim said, reaching over and pulling herself closer to him receiving no answer. "Bos?" Then, she realized that his breathing had changed - he was sound asleep. 


	145. Confusion

Bosco frowned as he got out of his car. He saw a motorcycle riding away and he recognized the guy on the bike.  
  
It was Jimmy.  
  
He scowled and made his way inside. Kim's things were on the table and he could hear her in the boys' room. She came out and smiled when she saw him.  
  
"Hey. I thought you were gonna take a while."  
  
"Who said that?"  
  
"Sasha. I went in to see where you were and she said you were doing some report and that it was going to take a while."  
  
"Is that why you got a ride from Jimmy?"  
  
"Yeah, he saw me coming out of the station and asked where you were. When I said I was gonna take the train he offered me a ride," Kim said as she went into their room.  
  
Bosco followed, "Thought you didn't like motorcycles. You're always telling the kids how dangerous they are."  
  
"They can be but Jimmy wasn't hotdogging or anything. It was just a ride home."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. I mean, c'mon, you honestly think Jimmy would do anything to put me in danger knowing I've got three kids at home? Not to mention a husband who happens to be a cop."  
  
"Right," Bosco nodded, as he took off his shirt. He looked up when he felt Kim's stare. "What?"  
  
"Why do I suddenly get the feeling you weren't talking about my safety?"  
  
"What else would I be talking about?"  
  
"You tell me."  
  
"I- you've been talking to him a lot."  
  
"We work together."  
  
"Kim, I'm not blind."  
  
"I know that."  
  
"So why do you think I don't see that the minute I walk into a room that has you and Jimmy in it you both clam up? And don't tell me I'm wrong because we both know I'm not. What is so private that you can't let me know what you're talking about?"  
  
Kim didn't answer him. Instead she kept her gaze trained on the floor.  
  
"Are you talking to him about me?"  
  
Kim looked up. "At least he talks back."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"It means that lately talking to you is like talking to a brick wall and I get so sick of it. At least when I talk to Jimmy, he answers me in actual words instead of grunting at me."  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
"No, what's not fair is that I seem to be the only one lately who gives a damn about whether or not you get yourself killed and you don't seem to notice," Kim said with tears in her eyes. "I don't know what you want anymore Bosco. And what kills me is that the only time you ever get like this is when you feel guilty about something. I just wish you'd tell me what it was."  
  
"It's nothing," Bosco said.  
  
"Fine. I'm going to sleep," Kim said as she got into bed and faced away from him.  
  
Bosco didn't say anything, he just sat on his side of the bed and looked at the wall.  
  
HR  
  
She needed her head examined. That was all there was too it. She needed an MRI and a CAT Scan. They'd find out there was some defect and she'd have it repaired. Then she would never let Jimmy Doherty, her two-timing ex- husband, kiss her again.  
  
Kim winced at the memory as she paced the floor of the firehouse. She had let him kiss her. Not only that she had enjoyed it.  
  
What was wrong with her?  
  
She- Then Kim stopped her thought and sighed.  
  
She really wished Alex were there.  
  
Alex would have helped her make sense of the confusion in her head. She always had.  
  
Kim smiled a little. Now that she thought about it so had Bobby. She wondered what her friends would say. She didn't have to think hard to hear Bobby's advice.  
  
I Run Kim. Run far, run fast. Just run. Stay as far away from Jimmy as possible. I know you better then you like to think. If you continue to hang around him, you're just gonna end up sleeping with him and that will wreck your marriage. /I  
  
Alex was a little harder. The blonde had always believed in honesty but she was never one to deliberately hurt someone else which explained why she'd never told Joe or Brooke about Linda and Jimmy.  
  
Kim just sighed and rubbed at her temples. She was going to drive herself crazy if she kept thinking about this. Better just to not think. Better to just forget the whole thing ever happened.  
  
And if that didn't work, she'd get a lobotomy. 


	146. Listening to Fear

"What's wrong?" Bosco said to Kim, looking over his menu at her and noticing her nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. She only did that when something was bothering her and she'd been really quiet since they'd left work. They each worked a half a shift, planning to take the kids to dinner and movie.  
  
"What? Nothing," she said, looking quickly at Bosco and then back down at the menu. Neither of them saw that Amanda was looking at them both and saw Bosco visibly tense at Kim's response.  
  
"Kim," Bosco said in a quiet but tense tone. "Tell me. Something happen at work?" he asked, thinking that she'd had a particularly tough call that had left her upset. Never in a million years would he have guessed that what was upsetting her was the fact that her ex-husband had kissed her - - and that she'd let him - - and that she wasn't all that sure that she didn't want him to.  
  
"Bosco. Can we talk about it later?" Kim said, her tone matching the tenseness of his.  
  
"Now who's not talking," Bosco said with definite irritation in his voice.  
  
"Mom?" Amanda said quietly. Both Bosco and Kim looked at their daughter and then to Joey and Johnny.  
  
"Yes, Honey?" Kim answered.  
  
"I don't feel good," Amanda said, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"What's wrong, Baby?" Bosco said, reaching over to feel her forehead.  
  
"My tummy hurts," she told him, a single tear sliding down her cheek.  
  
"Okay. You think maybe it's 'cause you're hungry?" he asked her. Amanda shook her head no.  
  
"You want to go home?" Kim asked, as Joey sighed loudly. Bosco gave him a gentle poke with his elbow.  
  
"Don't make her feel worse," he whispered to Joey. "We'll get some food to go. You know what you want?" Joey nodded.  
  
"But what about the movie?" Joey asked.  
  
"We'll do it again another day. After we get Amanda home, we can go to the store and rent something for tonight," Bosco told him.  
  
"Why don't you take her out to the car and I'll get us some food to go," Bosco told Kim.  
  
"Okay," Kim said, standing up. She reached over and picked Amanda up. "C'mon, Sweetie. We'll go to the car and Daddy will bring Johnny and Joey out."  
  
Bosco watched Kim and Amanda leave and then ordered some food to go as the waitress came over, explaining that one of the children got sick and they needed to leave.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^**  
  
After about ten minutes, Bosco, Joey and Johnny came out of the restaurant carrying the food they'd ordered. They found Amanda sound asleep on Kim's lap in the back seat of the car.  
  
"She okay?" Bosco asked as he got the other two kids into the car.  
  
Kim shrugged, "I dunno. She says her tummy hurts, but she fell asleep as soon as we got out here. She doesn't feel warm or anything."  
  
Kim carefully slid out from under Amanda and buckled her into the car. Moving to the front seat, she closed the door and looked back at the sleeping girl as Bosco pulled away and headed home.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"What's up?" Bosco asked as Kim came out of Amanda's room and into the kitchen.  
  
"She says she's hungry now. I'm gonna fix her a sandwich," Kim told him.  
  
"Well, that's a good sign," Bosco said, putting down the newspaper and walking into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter next to Kim and watched her make the sandwich for a minute.  
  
"So, what's going on that has you so uptight?" Bosco attempted again.  
  
He noticed her hands still from their work momentarily after he'd asked the question.  
  
"Bosco. There's nothing wrong," she lied.  
  
"Yeah, right," he said, standing up and pacing a few steps.  
  
"Please. I don't want to fight again," Kim said, her voice rising slightly.  
  
"I'm not fighting. I'm trying to find out what's wrong. I'm trying to help you," Bosco said, his voice rising as well.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Amanda listened from her room as the conversation continued between Bosco and Kim, their voices getting angrier. Tears began to fall again as she remembered hearing their argument the other night as well. She slowly got up and walked up the hallway and into the living room. She watched them in the kitchen. Bosco stood close to Kim, his hand resting on the counter as he leaned closer to talk. She could see the anger on his face. "Is Mommy scared?" she thought to herself as she took in the look on Kim's face.  
  
"Mommy!" she yelled, startling both Kim and Bosco.  
  
"Amanda? What is it?" Bosco said, turning and coming over to her, concern for her on his face.  
  
As he bent down next to her, he was shocked as Amanda backed away from him. "Panda?" he said, referring to her with his nickname for her - Amanda Panda. That usually made her laugh, but not this time.  
  
"Please don't hurt Mommy," she said, crying now.  
  
"What?! Hurt Mommy? I'd never hurt Mommy," Bosco said as Kim came over behind him.  
  
"You're both fighting. I don't want my Mommy to go up to heaven again and my Daddy to go to jail," she told them.  
  
"Amanda, Honey. That's never going to happen. I promise," Bosco said, reaching out and enveloping Amanda in his arms. He picked her up and they all went to sit on the couch.  
  
"Sometimes people just have serious talks. It may sound like we're mad, but we're just talking - about serious stuff," Kim explained.  
  
"I don't want anyone to leave again," Amanda said.  
  
"Oh, Honey. Please. That's not going to happen," Bosco assured her and the little girl squeezed her arms around his neck tightly.  
  
Bosco and Kim looked at each other, feeling terrible that they'd made her so afraid. That must be why she got upset at the restaurant they each thought. 


	147. Fessing Up

"Hey Kim, Jimmy's looking for you," D.K. told her as she walked into the firehouse. He was coming from the back with Walsh.  
  
"What? Who? Why?" Kim said.  
  
"Jimmy. You know," D.K. made motions with his hands. "He's about yay tall with dark hair and dimples."  
  
"And as I recall, the ladies like his butt," Walsh added.  
  
"Right."  
  
"You guys are just so funny. I'm gonna go change," Kim rolled her eyes and went upstairs.  
  
"She gets stranger all the time," D.K. said.  
  
"Maybe it's marrying a cop that did it," Walsh said.  
  
"Maybe," D.K. nodded.  
  
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  
  
Kim cautiously poked her head into the kitchen area of the house and peered around the room. Empty. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked across the room to the stairs. She headed up not thinking that Jimmy would be up there.  
  
"Hi," he said from behind her.  
  
She whirled around. "You scared me. I didn't think you'd be up here."  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"I didn't mean it like that."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"What are we talking about?"  
  
"You. Me. Avoidance."  
  
"There's been no avoidance. I don't know what you're talking about." Kim said defensively, crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
"Liar."  
  
"Okay, I admit that I haven't wanted to talk to you for the last few days. There is a reason for that."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Jimmy, I never thought it would happen given the way our marriage went but you have become a good friend. Almost like Bobby," Kim said quietly.  
  
"I'm honored."  
  
"You should be. Who do you think kept me from killing you the first year after we were divorced?" Kim teased.  
  
Jimmy smiled, "And I'm grateful."  
  
"Anyway, when Bobby and I were friends he tried to kiss me right after I started going out with Bosco. He might have succeeded if I wasn't."  
  
"I succeeded."  
  
"We've gotten closer lately."  
  
"So I noticed."  
  
"That kiss was a huge mistake on both our parts. Mainly mine because I'm married and I let you kiss me."  
  
"I know you're married. You were married to me first though."  
  
"Jimmy-"  
  
"Why can't we-"  
  
Kim interrupted, "You're always going to be in my life Jimmy. We have a son. But the thing of it is, we could never work that way again. There's just way to much history between us."  
  
"Is that why you were avoiding me?"  
  
"Yeah. I needed to figure out what I wanted and then what to say. I'm sorry."  
  
"No, it's fine. I mean I know I lost my chance with you a long time ago. I just thought, never mind. I know you love Bosco, Kimmy. I just hope he knows how lucky he is." Jimmy smiled and walked downstairs. Kim went to the window and looked across the street. She could see the 55th Precinct.  
  
"Yeah, me too."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kim sat on the steps of the precinct waiting for Bosco. When he came out she stood up.  
  
"Hey," she said quietly.  
  
"Hey. I thought you'd be halfway home by now."  
  
"No," she shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you about something first."  
  
"Okay," Bosco nodded. "Go ahead."  
  
"Let's take a walk first," Kim tilted her head and then started to walk. Bosco followed.  
  
"What's up?" Bosco asked.  
  
"The last couple of days you've noticed that I've had something on my mind. Something I wasn't sharing."  
  
"Yeah, I have."  
  
Kim tucked her hair behind her ear and then she stopped walking and faced him. "Jimmy kissed me. He kissed me and I let him kiss me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It happened about a week ago and I've spent the whole time worrying about your reaction and what it all meant until I finally realized it didn't mean anything."  
  
"It didn't?"  
  
"No. I don't love him that way. I mean yeah I love him but lately it's just more the way I loved Bobby. And sometimes that can get taken a little too far."  
  
"But Bobby only attempted to kiss you."  
  
"It's not the same thing, I know that. But I didn't want Bobby to kiss me and I don't want Jimmy kissing me. I want you kissing me. Just you."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Always." 


	148. In The Night

Bosco had just gotten home from the Precinct after being checked over in the ER for the wound to his head from the explosion. After being checked out, he had to the station to answer some questions and fill out a report.  
  
"How're you doing?" Kim asked as Bosco finally came home after the explosion at the park. After he got checked out at the hospital, he had to head over to the House to make a report and do some paperwork.  
  
"I'm okay. A little bit of a headache," he said, flopping down onto the couch. Kim reached over and gently patted a corner of the tape on the bandage that had come loose from his head. He flinched as she brushed against the edge of the cut.  
  
"Sorry. That was pretty bizarre," she noted.  
  
Bosco gave a half-laugh and nodded. "Very."  
  
"How's Sully?" Kim asked him.  
  
"Okay. Still a little hard of hearing," Bosco said, laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?" Kim asked, laughing along with him.  
  
"He got himself assigned to that Judge as protection," he told her, still laughing.  
  
"What? Why?" Kim asked, still smiling, but confused.  
  
"I guess FD decided that it was a car bomb, not just an accident," he said, getting up to get a glass of water and some ibuprofen.  
  
"Really? I hadn't heard that," Kim said, following him out.  
  
"Hmm. I figured you'd be one of the first to know," he said, not saying it but thinking that Jimmy probably had told her about it back at the house. After all, they were so close and all.  
  
Kim let the comment go, although the meaning wasn't lost on her. "Sorry I couldn't hang around the hospital after we brought you and Sully in, but we had to get back to the scene," Kim said.  
  
"Yup. I know," he said, pushing himself away from the counter he was leaning against. "I'm gonna grab a shower," he said, heading down the hall.  
  
Kim noticed the somewhat cool tone of his voice.  
  
"Apparently, we're not over this whole Jimmy thing," she thought to herself as she watched him stop and check in the kids' rooms before heading into the bathroom.  
  
Kim picked up the last of the toys that the kids had left around the living room and headed off to bed after locking the door. She left a light on in case Bosco wasn't ready to sleep yet.  
  
After checking the lock and turning off the light that Kim had left on for him, he walked down the hallway, checking in on the kids on his way by.  
  
Joey and Johnny were sound asleep and Amanda was asleep as well, clinging to the doll she'd brought with her from Social Services. She hadn't used that since she came to live with them. Then he thought back to other night at the restaurant when she'd gotten so upset and they'd had to leave.  
  
He stood in the doorway, just watching Amanda sleep, thinking about the conversations he'd had with Kim lately and wondering what to do about it. He knew she was right about him keeping things to himself and she was right. But, he couldn't help it. He'd gotten himself into this mess and it was bad enough that Faith had gotten caught up in it and was now in a wheelchair - he didn't want to get anyone else hurt or worse.  
  
He sighed and walked down the hallway and into the bedroom. He looked at Kim, and could see by the moonlight that she was asleep, but with a frown on her face. He undressed and climbed into bed next to her and she stirred slightly.  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Kim whispered to him, taking in the scent of his clean body and shampooed hair.  
  
"Yeah. I thought you were asleep," he said, turning to face her.  
  
Kim put a hand on the side of his face. "Are we okay?" she asked, a slight catch to her voice.  
  
"I always thought we were," he answered. "You're the one that thinks I have some kind of a problem," he added, the coldness to his voice again. He turned away again and, given the events of the day - the exploding car at the park and the whole aftermath of that, and the shock of seeing Faith back in the hospital again without being able to get any information - he was asleep almost immediately.  
  
Kim heard his breathing change to the slow, deep breathing she recognized of him being asleep.  
  
"I love you, Bos," she said quietly, a tear escaping her eye. She lay there a little while longer, finally falling asleep herself. But, it wasn't a peaceful sleep. Her thoughts were filled with restlessness and the nagging feeling of what was going on with Doc.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The urgent shaking awakened Bosco that Kim was doing as she grabbed his shoulder. He sat up thinking something was wrong. "What? What's wrong?" he said, grabbing for his jeans that he'd thrown on the chair.  
  
"I'm worried about Doc," Kim said simply, a concerned look on her face. Bosco attempted to make his mind clear from the sleep.  
  
"What?" he said.  
  
"Doc. I'm worried about Doc," Kim repeated, looking at him as if he was dense.  
  
"You woke me up because you're worried about Doc?!" he asked, still not quite understanding. "I thought the house was on fire or something, Kim," he said, lying back on the pillow and breathing again.  
  
"Sorry," she said lying back next to him, her head resting on his arm as it was folded behind his head and under the pillow. "He's acting really weird lately," she said and then went on to explain his bizarre behavior while she was reorganizing the ambulance.  
  
"Well, you offered to listen if he wanted to talk, right?" Bosco said sleepily.  
  
"Uh huh," she said. "But, I think Alex's and Lieu's deaths really hit him a lot harder than he's admitting," she told him. "Remember what a mess I was when Bobby got killed?"  
  
"Well, you'll just have to keep offering. Unless you think it's going to interfere with him doing his job or that he's really messed up, then you have to tell someone," Bosco reasoned.  
  
"Offering doesn't mean someone will take you up on it," Kim said, and Bosco knew she meant it as a dig to him keeping everything inside. He let out a heavy sight and turned onto his side.  
  
"Bos," she said, knowing that it was falling on deaf ears as she kicked herself for not asking him if he was all right, but knowing that he was because she and Carlos had transported him and Sully to the hospital.  
  
"Bos," she said again, getting no response. 


	149. Welcome Back Mr Boscorelli

"There's a guy staring at you," Carlos quietly told Kim as they filled out some paper work in the ambulance bay of the hospital.  
  
"What?" Kim looked up.  
  
"Behind you and a little to the left."  
  
"What's he look like?"  
  
"Older. Salt and pepper hair and dark glasses. He's wearing a fedora."  
  
Kim giggled. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah. You might think I'm a little off-"  
  
"Too late," Kim assured him.  
  
"Funny. Anyway, I think he looks like a cop."  
  
"Really?" Kim raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. I wonder if I did something illegal at some point in my life."  
  
"Maybe you and Bosco are going to be arrested for something you did in a public place," Carlos teased.  
  
Kim shot him a dark look, "Is there anyone with him?"  
  
"Yeah. Light skinned black guy with a ponytail."  
  
"Maybe they're gangsters," Kim giggled.  
  
"Well it looks like you'll have a chance to find out. He's coming over."  
  
"Don't leave, okay?" Kim said as she turned so her legs hung over the back of the bus.  
  
"Yeah you got it," Carlos told her.  
  
Kim bent over her clipboard and pretended to work as did Carlos. She looked up when her name was called.  
  
"Kim?"  
  
A smile broke over her face when she recognized the person coming towards her. "Oh my God. John?" She put the clipboard aside and slid down from the bus. Then she gave the older man a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Baltimore."  
  
"Moved back a few years ago," he said hugging back. "Look at you. Last time I saw you, you were running around threatening Melanie's life if she didn't give you back your Barbie doll."  
  
Kim laughed. "That was a long time ago."  
  
"Yes it was," John smiled. "Oh, this is my partner Odafin Tutuola."  
  
"Fin," the man next to John said.  
  
"Kim Boscorelli," Kim shook his hand. "And this is my partner, Carlos Nieto. Carlos this is Detective John Munch."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Carlos shook his hand. "You too, Fin, was it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How do you know Kim?" Carlos asked.  
  
"I used to take her mom out," John said.  
  
"Yeah?" Carlos nodded and it was clear by his facial expression that he thought John had good taste.  
  
"Yeah," John nodded. "It didn't work out unfortunately."  
  
"And then John moved to Baltimore. You still in Homicide?"  
  
"Nah. I'm SVU now."  
  
"So, it's not enough that your hair is gray, now you want to lose it?" Kim teased.  
  
Fin laughed at that and then said, "I'm gonna have to remember to tell Elliot that one."  
  
"Kim?"  
  
Kim looked up and smiled. "Hey Bos. C'mere I want you to meet someone."  
  
Bosco joined his wife and Carlos in leaning against the back of the bus. He gave the men in front of him the once over and then casually put an arm around Kim's waist his hand resting on her hip.  
  
"Maurice Boscorelli, this is John Munch and Fin Tutuola."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Bosco said.  
  
"You too. And don't worry, we're not after your girl," Fin said.  
  
"Excuse me?" Bosco asked.  
  
"I'm an old friend of Kim's mom and we just came to say hi. Besides, she's just way to young for me," John smiled. He kissed Kim's cheek and then said his goodbyes. He and Fin walked away.  
  
"I'm gonna go get some coffee," Carlos made himself scarce.  
  
"You okay?" Kim asked Bosco after Carlos was gone. "I didn't see you at the courthouse."  
  
"I wasn't part of the detail that brought the judge in. I was inside when the shooting started."  
  
Kim nodded. "So how did the trial go?"  
  
"Good. The judge decided that it should go to trial."  
  
"Good. I'm glad. At least something good came out of that day." Kim closed her eyes as she thought about the day Bosco had been trapped in that raging inferno.  
  
"With any luck he'll be going to prison for a long time."  
  
Kim nodded as she opened her eyes. "Did someone get hurt?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Well, you're here."  
  
"I was looking for you," Bosco admitted.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I've been thinking about the last few weeks."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Kim, it was a mistake."  
  
"What was?"  
  
"You kissing Jimmy. People make them, God knows I've made enough of them, and I shouldn't be stubborn and stupid and hold a grudge. You and Jimmy have a lot of history."  
  
"That was a long time ago," Kim said.  
  
"I know," Bosco smoothed his hand against her face. "And it's okay."  
  
"It is?"  
  
"I'm not gonna let it come between us anymore."  
  
"Will you talk to me?" Kim asked softly.  
  
"Yes, I will. I will also talk to a therapist."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes," Bosco nodded. "Brian said anytime right?"  
  
Kim smiled. "Welcome back Bos."  
  
"Thanks Kimmy." 


	150. Back to Basics

"Hey," he said as he leaned against his car and watched his wife walk toward him from the firehouse. He noticed the way she was walking. She was either tired or something was bothering her - or both. He remembered the terror that went through him as he got the call about the accident while he was in the locker room. He hadn't been able to find out if she was all right until he'd seen her at the scene treating people. He saw that she was in charge of organizing the care of the patients, but he couldn't help but look at her carefully to make sure that she was unscathed. Once assured of that, he went about the business of doing his own job.  
  
"Hey yourself," she answered him. "What're you looking at?"  
  
"You. We gotta come up with a signal or somethin'," he said with a half smile.  
  
"A signal?" she repeated with a puzzled look on her face. She reached him and immediately they embraced each other. She felt the strength of his embrace, something she missed very much over the last few weeks with all that had gone on between them.  
  
"Yeah. So when I get sent to an incident involving a medic I know that it's not you - that you're okay," he said as they released each other and she took a step back.  
  
"Oh, that. I would've found a way to tell you if it was me. Besides, now you know how I feel whenever we get a call for an officer down," she told him. "Ready to go home?" she asked him, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Yup," he answered standing up and pulling his keys from his jeans pocket. Kim watched him walk around the front of the car toward the driver's side.  
  
"What?" he asked, noticing her stare.  
  
"You look hot, Boscorelli," she said, looking him up and down.  
  
Bosco chuckled. "Get in the car Boscorelli. I'll take you home and show you I'm more than just looks."  
  
"I'm gonna hold you to that," she said, laughing as she got in the car.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**  
  
They lay next to each other, Kim curled up with her head resting on his chest. She felt the beat of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest as he fell asleep, playing with her hair as he did so.  
  
"Rossi quit today," she told him as she remembered the events of the day.  
  
"Mmm?" Bosco answered, coming awake again.  
  
"You know, the new guy?" she told him.  
  
"Yeah, the one that Doc had it out with today at the accident. What the hell was that all about? I remember when nothing could distract Doc when he was taking care of a patient. The day of the bank robbery when Faith and Emily were in that bank. There was shooting all around and he stayed right there taking care of Dave from Anti-Crime when he got shot in the leg. He actually stepped over top of that little girl today to get to Rossi," Bosco told her, still shocked at what he saw. "I had to hold him back."  
  
"I know. He's not right, Bos. Rossi said that he came to his house after Alex got killed. Accused him of being at fault - that if he'd been to work when he should've it would have been him on that car instead of Alex," Kim said.  
  
"Rossi's fault? I thought downtown sent him to the wrong house?" Bosco questioned.  
  
"They did. Doc's really losing it I think," she said. "Rossi contacted the Union. Says he's gonna file charges against Doc."  
  
"Well, all you can do is be there for him, Kim. You can't help him if he doesn't want any help," he advised her as his fingers started playing with her hair again.  
  
"I know," she said and they were both quiet for a few minutes.  
  
After a moment, Kim said, " Things looked kinda busy over at your House during the night," she noted and felt him tense.  
  
"Yeah. Public Morals raided a prostitution operation. It was in our Precinct, so they processed them at our House," he told her. "Turns out this operation was fronting as a men's clinic - sex therapists or somethin' like that - billing insurances and everything. There was a serial rapist going there and raping all the girls that worked there or something. Cruz and Monroe were working undercover and neither of them knew the other was running an undercover operation or knew about this rapist ahead of time.  
  
"Wait. Cruz is back in Anti-Crime?" Kim asked, looking up at Bosco, amazed that after all that had happened she was being allowed back in the unit.  
  
"No. She was just working on this thing. Lieu told her she had to work with Monroe and no one else. Turns out that this rapist got sent in to Cruz. Monroe was working the camera outside. This bastard raped her. Beat her up and raped her," he told her, the anger he felt when he found out building up again. "I found out when I was transporting this jag-off to Central Booking. He said she asked for it, told him that she liked it rough."  
  
Kim knew how Bosco felt about any kind of attacks against women and didn't want to know what Bosco had done to his guy. "Oh my God. Is she okay?" she asked him. She didn't like Cruz for all that she'd done to him and to Faith, but she'd never wish anything like that on anyone.  
  
"Says she is. She sure seemed different though. Like she didn't have that cockiness to her. Vulnerable. Broken," he said, remembering the look on her face as she walked away from him at the end of the night when he'd asked her if she was okay.  
  
"Sasha's helping her right? She'll be okay as long as she gets help to deal with it," Kim assured him.  
  
"Yeah," he said and they both quieted again for a moment.  
  
"Man, what a night," they both said together. 


	151. Deep Thoughts

Bosco raised an eyebrow when he walked into the living room from his bedroom late one night and saw Kim lying on the couch with her bare feet braced on the wall. Her hair was splayed over a throw pillow and her arms were resting on her stomach. She was staring at nothing.  
  
"Kim?" He ventured quietly.  
  
"Did I wake you?" she asked without changing the focus of her gaze.  
  
"No, not at all. You okay?"  
  
"I just couldn't sleep. I didn't want to wake you with my tossing and turning."  
  
"Wine?"  
  
"What?" She finally looked at him.  
  
"Do you want some wine?"  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Thanks," she said as she sat up. "Thanks," she said when Bosco handed her a glass of wine and sat down next to her.  
  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
  
"I've just got some stuff on my mind."  
  
"Tell me," Bosco said softly.  
  
"Well, I was thinking about what you told me about the deal you guys offered Barnes. I keep trying to put myself in that position. What number of years would I find good enough for Melanie's life? I can't even fathom how Cruz could."  
  
"We get the guy supplying, we have a better chance of getting it off the street all together."  
  
"Do you think you could pick a number for Mikey's life?"  
  
Bosco considered Kim's question for a moment and then shook his head, "I don't know."  
  
They were quiet for a while before Kim spoke up again. "Doc's back on a bus permanently," Kim revealed.  
  
"Wow. Really?"  
  
"He said he missed it."  
  
"He missed it? He missed kids killing each other over radio stations and all the other stupidity we deal with every day?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay, now I'm confused," Bosco looked at her strangely.  
  
"When I was at the hospital before I saw Chief Rodgers."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"We talked for a minute and he told me that not only was Doc not being reinstated as supervisor but that he had been demoted. He didn't ask to be put back in the field."  
  
"He lied."  
  
"And he keeps lying. I don't know what's up with him Bosco. I really don't."  
  
"Why do you think he was demoted?"  
  
"I think it has to do with Eugene. He said that he was going to file a complaint against Doc. This was before he quit."  
  
"Maybe Doc's guilt goes deeper then you think," Bosco picked up her hand and held it in his. He looked at her.  
  
"You think all this is about Alex?"  
  
"You felt guilty about Bobby and you weren't even the one who put him in a situation to get hurt."  
  
"You think Doc put Alex in a situation to get hurt?"  
  
"No," Bosco said. "I think he thinks he put Alex in that situation. He probably thinks that if he hadn't put Alex on the bus that day, she'd still be alive."  
  
"If he hadn't put Alex on the bus that day, she could have ended up like Lt. Johnson," Kim said quietly, changing her position so that her head rested on Bosco's shoulder.  
  
Bosco put his arm around Kim's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Not much better, if you ask me."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
hr  
  
Kim smiled as she put Johnny into his bed. Joey was at Jimmy's and Amanda was asleep but Johnny had been awake when she'd gotten home and for that Kim was kinda glad. She had wanted to hold her son for a little while. She exited his bedroom and went into her own. Bosco was asleep already. He'd been yawning since they left the station house. She carefully got into bed after she changed into her pajamas. She rolled onto her stomach and rested her chin on her folded arms.  
  
---"Doc?" She said after Carlos had gone to change and Levine had left the room.  
  
"What's up Kim?" The older man looked at her as she sat down at the table across from him.  
  
"Well, Bosco and I have been talking about godparents for the baby. Obviously we want people we can trust. He chose Faith as godmother."  
  
"She's a good choice."  
  
"I think so too," Kim smiled. "But there's still the matter of the godfather."  
  
"Doesn't Bosco have a brother?"  
  
"They're not all that close. We'd ask Fred but he and Bos don't get along," Kim said. "If this was a few months ago, I'd have asked Bobby."  
  
"Of course," Doc nodded.  
  
"But it isn't and Bosco and I have been talking and we both feel you would make an excellent choice, if you're interested."  
  
"You want me as godfather?"  
  
"Yes," Kim nodded. "Will you?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I'd be honored."  
  
Kim got up and came around the table. She hugged Doc. "Thank you," she whispered. ---  
  
"Kim?"  
  
Kim rolled her head towards Bosco's side of the bed. "Hey," she smiled tiredly.  
  
"What's up?" He brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ear.  
  
She smiled a little. That was her favorite gesture. "I'm just thinking," Kim sighed.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Hmm," she nodded. "Did I wake you?"  
  
"Nah. I can't really get relaxed enough to sleep," Bosco admitted as he turned so that he was on his stomach too. He mimicked Kim's position and smiled a little when he caught her grin. "So?"  
  
"I was just thinking about when I asked Doc to be Johnny's godfather. He was so happy," Kim admitted quietly. "And now, he's just so defensive and angry about everything."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Did you hear what he did today at the scene?"  
  
"I don't think so," Bosco shook his head.  
  
"He ran over the guy that was shooting at Sully and Davis." She didn't give him a chance to say anything, "And I know what you're going to say. And yes, I love Sully and Davis, but there are just certain things a paramedic should not do and running over someone with a rig is one of them."  
  
"I agree with you."  
  
"What?" Kim looked at him.  
  
"I think what Doc did was irresponsible. I agree with you."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah. Alright, I've made some dumb choices in my life when it comes to the job but Doc did something reckless and stupid. Are you gonna report him?"  
  
"I gave him one more shot. If he screws that up, I told him that not only would I file a report, I'd make sure his certification got pulled." Kim sighed and she rolled onto her back. "Oh Bos, what am I gonna do? He's a good medic, normally. His emotions are just skewed."  
  
"And if anyone knows how that feels," Bosco began.  
  
"It's me," Kim finished the thought. "I did blame myself when Bobby died."  
  
"It wasn't your fault Kimmy," Bosco said as he shifted so he could put an arm around Kim's waist.  
  
"Maybe that's it," Kim said thoughtfully.  
  
"What?"  
  
"When Bobby died, I felt guilty about not being able to save him but I had you to tell me that it wasn't my fault and I had Joey and then we found out I was pregnant. Doc's alone."  
  
"No he's not. He has you and Carlos. You guys care about him. He just won't let you care about him," Bosco said.  
  
"Sounds familiar," Kim smirked.  
  
"Ha, ha," Bosco said dryly. "Seriously though, just keep trying. He can't possibly be as stubborn as me."  
  
"Oh, honey, no one is as stubborn as you. But don't worry, it's part of your charm."  
  
"Thanks Baby."  
  
"Anytime Sweetie," Kim smiled. 


	152. Unwinding

"Mom's got the kids. They begged to stay over. I'm beginning to get a complex," Kim said as she met up with Bosco as she came out of the firehouse.  
  
"Why? Because they love their grandmothers?" Bosco said, hugging her.  
  
"Hey!" Kim exclaimed as she jumped from the pinch he'd given her on her backside. She quickly poked him in the ribs and said, "No, because they'd rather be with them than me lately," she said, a hint of jealousy in her voice.  
  
"Stop. They love you. It's just that both your mother and my mother let them do whatever the hell they want," he pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, that could be it," she agreed.  
  
They walked over toward Bosco's car, arms around each other's waists. "So, you're looking pretty smug with yourself," Kim said.  
  
"Who me?" Bosco said, looking over at her, a smile coming to his face. She noticed the mischievous look in his eyes.  
  
"Jimmy told me what you and Monroe did tonight. Did you have fun?" she asked him.  
  
Bosco nodded his head exaggeratedly and said, "Oh yeah. The look on Allie's face when I was putting those cuffs on him in front of his people was priceless," he admitted, chuckling. Kim tickled him and started to laugh along with him.  
  
"Jimmy looked a lot more relaxed tonight," Bosco noted as they walked toward his car.  
  
"Yeah, the guys are giving him the respect," Kim answered.  
  
"Thanks to your advice about how to handle the guys. He actually looked comfortable saying 'I'm Lieutenant Doherty, FDNY,'" Bosco told her.  
  
"Well, what can I say? I'm wise beyond my years," she said, letting out a sigh and getting a teasing shove from Bosco.  
  
They'd reached his car and Bosco leaned on it, turning Kim away from him and then pulling her toward him so that she was leaning her back against him. He wrapped his arms around her and looked up at the clear sky, taking in the sight of the stars and the fresh air.  
  
"I'm hungry," Kim said, leaning her head back on his shoulder so that her ear was next to his mouth.  
  
"Now there's a surprise. I swear Kimmy, I don't know where the hell you put it," he teased her.  
  
"I can't help it. Must be the fresh air. Oh hey, Carlos' mother called from California. She saw the news story on television. Carlos sent her money to fly into New York. He's at the airport to meet her flight. Hopefully, she'll be a match for Kylie," Kim told Bosco.  
  
"Wow. That was fast. I hope it's the real thing," he said.  
  
"What do you mean 'you hope it's the real thing'?" Kim asked, turning around to face him.  
  
"Nothing. I just hope it's not some jagoff trying to get a free ride to New York on Carlos' money," he said. "How about Haggerty's?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
Sasha Monroe was coming out of the station as they started to get into the car.  
  
"G'night you two," Sasha called to them.  
  
"Hey! We're going to Haggerty's. Wanna come?" Bosco called to her. She thought for a moment and then shrugged.  
  
"Sure! I'll follow you over in my car," she called back to them as Ty and Sully came out.  
  
"Follow them where?" Ty asked. After Sasha told them they were going to Haggerty's, it turned into a regular party. Kim and Bosco waited for everyone to get into their cars and pull out behind them.  
  
Bosco started toward Haggerty's and looked over to see Kim staring out the window. "Kim?"  
  
"I hope you're wrong about this woman from California," she said, looking over to him.  
  
"I probably am. You know what a pessimist I am. I made an appointment to go over to the hospital to get tested to see if I match," he told her.  
  
"You did? That's so sweet," she said to him, reaching over to take his free hand.  
  
"The kid deserves a shot. And besides, Carlos has come a long way. He's not such an ass anymore," he said, lightening the mood.  
  
She squeezed his hand and they continued on to Haggerty's to enjoy a night out to unwind with friends. 


	153. My Girl

Off Duty

Chapter 153

Kim smiled when she felt Bosco's arms slide around her waist from behind later that night.

"Hey," he said in her ear.

"Hey yourself," she said turning around. "How you doing?"

"Good. Better now."

"So, what happened?"

"Detectives took custody of Tom at the hospital."

"Guys from the 2-2?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Homicide guys."

"You know what every precinct in this burg does?"

"Just the ones my mom used to date out of. She dated a detective over there that she still keeps in touch with."

"Yeah? Who's that?"

"Lennie something."

"Briscoe, yeah I know him."

Kim smiled and then caught sight of Ty coming out of the precinct. "Hey Ty. About before," she started.

"It's cool Kim. There are days when you guys aren't my favorite people to deal with either. But we gotta get along right?"

"Right. See ya later Ty."

"Bye. Later Bosco."

"Bye." Bosco looked at Kim. "Something I should know about?"

"Just a stupid misunderstanding before. Something I said that I didn't really mean. I was just trying to get Doc's temper in check. By the way, Cruz made it clear that the next time he mouths off to one of you guys, she's arresting his ass."

"Oh really?"

"Yep," Kim nodded.

"So, you mad at me?"

"For what?"

"The whole search thing."

"No. Bos, I know you. You didn't think the guy was dangerous or a suspect so why search him? I know you'd never put me in harm's way."

"Damn straight. The kids would never forgive me," Bosco grinned.

"Ha-ha," Kim said dryly. "C'mon. Let's go home."

"You hungry? We could go to Ma's or Haggerty's."

"Home, bathtub, bed."

"That's my girl."

"Better believe it baby," Kim grinned.

TBC...


	154. Another Close Call

"Hey," Bosco said as he came back to the car. "How're you doin'?"

"I'm still shaking," Kim told him, with a nervous laugh, still unable to stop the random tears that would start without warning.

"I can't believe I was so stupid," she said, looking away and out the window as more tears started to fall. "I was so stupid," she repeated quietly.

Bosco quickly climbed into the back of the car with her. "No. You weren't stupid. Hear me?" he said, turning her face back toward him. He just looked into her eyes, trying to forget how close he'd come to losing her. He still couldn't believe it. "You were smart. If you weren't smart, you wouldn't be here talking to me right now." He thought back to a little while ago...

_He was talking to her on her cell phone when he heard the siren through the line. He knew it wasn't an ambulance or fire truck. When you're in the business - either fire or police - you just know the difference in the sounds. She'd told him she was getting pulled over for running a yellow light and hung up before he could tell her to stay on the line and find out exactly where she was. He only knew she was on her way to her mother's house to return her car. He'd told Cruz what direction to head in. Cruz saw the look on his face when they came across the abandoned car._

_"We'll find her, Bosco," Cruz's words repeated in his ear. He remembered seeing the canister of mace lying on the road._

_"At least she got to use it," he said, noticing the discoloration around the nozzle showing that it had been sprayed._

He was brought back to the present by her voice...

"Bos?" she said, looking at him.

"Yeah," he said.

"Can we go home now?" she asked in almost a pleading voice. "I wanna see the kids."

"Soon, Kimmy. We have to go back to the House. You need to give a report to the Detectives and I need to change and square away my work schedule for the rest of the week - get someone to cover my shifts," he told her, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.

"You don't have to take time off from work," she told him.

"Yeah, I do," he said, leaning over to kiss her and then getting out of the car. He bent over and looked back in at her. "Be right back and then we'll take you back to the House."

Kim nodded and watched him walk back to the group of officers that had gathered to collect evidence and information. He nodded as a few of them said a few words and looked back at the car briefly. She watched as some gave home pats on the back - congratulations that everything had a good ending.

* * *

She sat in one of the windowed offices of the Precinct and finished answering the repeated questions from the Detectives. Bosco wasn't allowed in the room, so he sat outside and never looked away in case she needed some support from him.

"Bosco," came a voice he recognized from his left.

"Yeah, Jimmy," he replied.

"Is Kimmy okay?" he asked, approaching. 

"Yeah, Jimmy," he said. "She was smart. She got away and kept running and screaming," Bosco told him.

He heard Jimmy let out a sigh of relief as he sat on the bench next to him. "You want me to get Joey and the kids or anything?" Jimmy offered.

"Nah. Thanks, but they're at Catherine's. Kim was on her way there when it all happened," he told him, locking eyes with his Kim who must have started to get upset again because she had looked back to him and her eyes were wet again.

"I'm supposed to have Joey tomorrow, but I know Kim. She's gonna want to be with the kids. I'll pick him up tomorrow night instead - unless you guys change your mind," Jimmy said, standing up.

"Okay," Bosco said and Jimmy looked down at him.

"How about you? You okay, Bosco?" he asked, seeing the twitching of the muscles along his jaw.

"I'm fine," he said. "Thanks, Jimmy."

"Sure. Tell Kim..., well..., tell Kim I said I'll call her tomorrow about Joey. Let me know if you guys need anything," Jimmy said. He looked back through the window at Kim and then walked down the hallway to head back to the firehouse.

* * *

Bosco came out of the locker room after changing into his street clothes. He'd taken a couple of days of personal leave and found someone to cover the rest of his shifts for the week. He came out to find Kim sitting on the bench in the hallway with Sasha. He'd asked her to stay with her until he was done changing.

"Ready?" he asked as he walked up to her. He looked over at Sasha. "Thanks," he said.

"No problem. I'm glad you're okay, Kim. I know you have Bosco and your Mom and all, but if you want to talk, or if you need anything, please call me, okay?"

Kim stood up and moved close to Bosco. She attempted to give Sasha a smile. "Yeah, thanks for babysitting me," she said, slightly embarrassed. Bosco put his arm around her and felt that she was still shaking a little.

"Not babysitting," Sasha said. "Just grabbing some down time before I head home for the night."

Bosco gave her a nod of his head in thanks and he and Kim made their way out to his car. As soon as they walked out of the police station, he felt Kim move even closer to him. Gripping her more tightly, they walked to the car without saying a word. When they'd gotten in the car and he started the engine, Kim said,

"Can we go get the kids from my Mom's? I know it's late, but I just need us all to be together."

Bosco looked at her and gave her a smile. "I already called Catherine. She's getting them ready." He looked over at her and put his arm up on the back of the seat. "C'mere," he said and Kim slid over next to him.

After driving for a few minutes, Bosco noticed that, most likely from emotional exhaustion, Kim was sound asleep against him. They drove to Catherine's, picked up the kids and headed home.  
  
TBC...


	155. One Last Confession

Off Duty

Chapter 155

"Hey, look who's back," DK said as Kim walked into the kitchen of the firehouse. "Welcome back," he gave her a hug. "Hey Bosco," he shook the man's hand.

"How ya doing DK?"

"Billy, put me down!" Kim ordered laughing, as Billy Walsh swung her around.

"Good to see you kid," Billy said. "Hey Bosco. You take good care of our girl?"

"My girl, Billy. My girl."

"Talking 'bout my girl," DK started to sing.

Kim giggled and slid her arms around Bosco's waist, "To answer your question Billy, yes, Bosco took very good care of me."

Billy smiled, "Good. Welcome back Kim."

"Thanks Billy."

Billy and DK went into the TV room while Kim and Bosco stood in the kitchen.

"You sure you're ready to be back today?" Bosco asked quietly. "'Cause everyone would understand if you took a few more days."

"Yes, but there is only so much daytime TV a person can watch before she's considered legally brain dead. I stay home much longer and I'll qualify."

"Okay, point taken," Bosco grinned. "Just be careful and call if you want to talk, alright?"

"Alright. Love you."

"Love you too." Bosco kissed her and then headed back down the stairs.

"Hey Bosco," he heard from behind him.

He turned around. "Hey Jimmy. What's up?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Kim's starting back today."

"Oh. How's she doing?"

"What, didn't you ask Joey?"

"You're probably a little better at reading Kim. She doesn't let Joey see everything."

"Not like you, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't hide things from Joey. He probably knows exactly how you feel about Kim."

"Bosco, what are you talking about?"

"You're still in love with Kim." Bosco had to laugh at Jimmy's expression. "You think I didn't notice that you look at her the same way I do?"

"You're crazy."

"Am I really? 'Cause see, I don't think so. I think every time we have problems you're secretly hoping that this time it'll be over with us."

"I repeat, you're crazy."

"You lost her a long time ago Jimmy."

"Don't you think I know that?" Jimmy snapped. "I know Kim and I are over. I knew it the minute she found out I slept with Melanie."

"Do you?"

"I don't want to have this conversation with you Bosco."

"She's not yours anymore Jimmy."

"Yeah, I know."

"Good," Bosco said before he walked out.

* * *

"Hey, what are you still doing here?" Kim asked as she came down and found Jimmy standing in the kitchen holding a box of his stuff from upstairs. "I thought you'd be halfway to the bar by now."

"Just saying good-bye, ya know?"

"Yeah," Kim nodded. "Place isn't gonna be the same without you Jimmy."

"Thanks Kimmy. You coming out with us?"

"Nah. I'm gonna go home and crash. I'm kinda tired. You feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I am." He gave her a long look.

"What?"

"I'm gonna miss you."

"Jimmy, stop acting like you're never gonna see me again. It's kinda hard when we share a son."

"Yeah, but it's different from seeing you here every day." He looked down and then at her, "I felt like I lost something."

"What?"

"The day of your wedding reception we were talking. I was about to tell you something and Brooke interrupted us. I was about to tell you that I felt like I lost something."

"Jimmy."

"No, I need to say this. I watched Bobby fall for you and I didn't worry about it because I knew you'd only ever see him as your best friend. Then you told me you and Bosco were going out and I felt like someone kicked me in the stomach. The next time I felt like that was when you said you didn't want to try again. Then you said you were getting married. I sat in the back of the church with Brooke and I watched Joey and Bobby give you away. I watched you promise to spend the rest of your life with Bosco and all I could think was that we'd promised each other first. I'm the one who screwed that up. I always thought I'd get another shot though. But that's never gonna happen, is it?"

"No," Kim shook her head.

"Yeah." He looked straight into Kim's eyes. "I love you, Kim. Be happy." Jimmy didn't wait for a response. He simply walked away.

Kim didn't say anything. She didn't move and she barely breathed for at least five minutes. Then she nodded her head a little, "See ya Jimmy."


	156. Party Time? Maybe Not

Off Duty

Chapter 156

As he pounded on the door again, he now knew why Kim hadn't answered her cell phone. The music coming from the other side was loud - and so were the voices. Finally, someone had heard him and the door opened. He recognized the face from somewhere, but he couldn't remember where; either a cop, firefighter or medic. He nodded his head in a curt greeting and stepped inside.

"Have you seen Kim Boscorelli?" he asked, the question falling on deaf ears as the guy turned away not knowing that Bosco had asked him a question.

"Great," he thought to himself as he surveyed the mass of people. Everyone seemed in a good mood. "Lucky them," he mumbled to himself as he started to walk through the crowd and searched for a familiar face.

He asked a couple of people along the way if they'd seen Kim and was directed toward the other side of the apartment.

He was startled as someone grabbed him from behind, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"Bosco!" Doc yelled into his ear. "Glad you could make it, Man. Kim said you wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't planning on it. Look, have you seen Kim? I really need to talk to her," Bosco said, managing to break free of Doc's grasp and noticing the strange look on Doc's face. "A smile," he thought to himself. "That's what's different." He hadn't seen Doc so happy in a long time.

"Yeah, Bosco. She's over that way, I think," Doc said, pointing toward the fireplace. "Hey, grab some food and a drink. Have fun!" Doc yelled over his shoulder as he zipped off in another direction.

Bosco looked after him for a moment, shook his head and continued toward the direction Doc had indicated. Finally, he saw the back of her head. She was talking to Sully, Ty, Carlos and some other guy that turned out to be Carlos' brother. He walked up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to him and her face lit up and she gave him a kiss. "Hi! I thought you weren't coming?" she said, pleasantly surprised as she moved in next to him. He put his arm up around her shoulders.

"Yeah, well, I was trying to get hold of you on your cell, but I guess with all the noise you didn't hear it," he said. She looked down at her phone that was clipped to the pocket of her slacks and saw that it indicated that she'd missed four calls.

"Oh, Babe. I'm sorry. Were all four calls from you?" she asked, clearing the calls and wondering if the kids were okay.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Bosco said, as Doc appeared again and forced a beer into his hand.

"Nobody not drinking tonight," Doc said, moving on to the next group of people.

"He's in a good mood," he mentioned to the group.

"Yeah, it's kind of freaky," Ty added and Sully and Kim nodded in agreement, as Ty watched Doc and Sasha dancing together.

"Nice place," Bosco said, looking around.

"Carlos said it was a hole before. He fixed it all up in like three months," Kim offered to the group.

"Wow. Maybe he's in the wrong line of work," Sully joked.

They were onto another subject when Kim looked over at Bosco who was very quiet. "You okay?" she asked, leaning next to his ear.

"Rough night," he said, not wanting to ruin her night. But, he just wanted to go home.

"Wanna go?" Kim asked, as if reading his mind.

"You mind?" he asked.

"Not at all. Let's go," she said, turning to the group. "Hey, we're headin' out. See you at work tomorrow," she said.

"Alright," Carlos yelled to them. "Take it easy."

Bosco handed Davis his beer and said goodnight. He followed Kim to the door, found Kim's coat in the pile that was on the coat rack and semi-neatly lying on the floor under the rack.

Outside, the cool air hit Kim's face and she took a deep breath of the night air. "Wow. It was hot in there," she said.

She looked over at Bosco as they reached his car. "What happened?" she asked, as he opened the door for her. As she took a step toward the car to get in, Bosco leaned into her and gave her a soft kiss.

"I may have made a mistake," he said, looking around before going to the other side of the car and getting in.

* * *

As they sat on the couch with the glow of the television playing off the walls, Kim lying on the couch, her head on his lap, looking up at him as he half-watched the news, she said, "So, you think he's really gonna come after you?"

He looked down at her and brushed a few stray hair strands from her face. "I don't know. Just be careful, okay?"

"I'm more worried about you," she said and he saw the concern on her face.

"I'm okay. I'll be careful. Your Mom's okay with watching the kids for a while? I mean, I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't have my Mom help out this time," he said, meaning that she may be in danger as well.

"Yeah, of course. Jimmy said he'd take them to his new place sometimes too to give her a break when he picks up Joey," Kim assured him.

"You told him what's going on?" Bosco asked.

"Not everything. Just enough," she told him.

"Thanks," he said and she sat up, turning to face him.

"I love you," she told him. He put a hand on the side of her face, then moving it to the back of her head, he pulled her toward him. They kiss lasted a long time, growing more and more deep. She sensed a need to be close from him. He always needed that when he was troubled.

After they'd made love, they lazily slept on the couch, neither having the energy to move to the bedroom. As some point, the television channel had signed off for the night, leaving only the color bars on the screen as a nightlight.

"So did Faith say anything else?" Kim asked after Bosco told her about the phone call to meet her at the coffee shop.

"No. We got interrupted when OCCB called me," he said. "It was tense though. That's for sure."

"But, she said she wants to partner with you again? She seems okay with that?" Kim asked, remembering how she'd all but had him thrown out of her hospital room and told him to stay way from her and her family. She remembered how much that hurt him.

"I don't know. I guess she's just nervous about coming back. Maybe she just wants some familiarity when she comes back. I mean, we always worked good together doing the job. It's just all the other stuff that got in the way," Bosco told her.

They were quiet for a minute and then Kim told him what had happened with Steeple today.

"So this Captain Steeple guy kicked the medics out of the house?" Bosco asked her after he'd heard about her night.

"Yeah. Can you believe it?" Kim said, still surprised by the action. "Doc thinks it's only temporary - that as soon as Steeple's gone, we'll be back in there," she said.

"Doc was in a good mood tonight," Bosco mentioned to her.

"Yeah. I haven't seen him like that in quite a long time. He's a little too happy though," she added.

"What? He's a good guy. It's just been a couple of bad years," Bosco said, twirling her hair in his fingers.

"Yeah, I guess..." she said, as she started to trace the muscle of his arm with her finger.


	157. Everybody's Hero

Off Duty

Chapter 157

Bosco left Faith in the locker room and headed for the door. He stopped when he saw Levine standing by the desk talking to a cop.

What was her first name? Molly. Polly.

"Holly?" He said hesitantly.

She turned, "Hey Bosco. Kim's probably waiting for you."

"You okay?" The medic looked a little more frazzled than usual.

"Just dandy. A man I've known and respected for years opened fire at my co-workers, but otherwise, I'm great."

"What are you talking about?" Bosco looked confused.

Holly realized her mistake, "Oh God, you don't know yet."

"Know what?"

"Doc, he had a gun and he-"

"Doc? Doc Parker? Doc had a gun?" Bosco tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Doc had brought a gun to the firehouse and shot at people he worked with. Doc, who had trained his- Oh God. "Where's Kim?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't know where anyone is."

Bosco raced out of the precinct and into the street. He scanned the neighborhood and didn't see Adam 55-3. "Dammit." He pulled out his cellphone and dialed his wife's. "C'mon Kimmy pick up."

* * *

Kim stood in the ambulance bay of the hospital. Carlos had gone for coffee and she was trying to keep from sobbing. She heard a sound that she eventually identified as her cell phone. She opened it up and pressed 'send'. "Hello?"

"Oh thank God."

"Bosco?"

"Where are you?"

"The hospital. I'm just waiting for Carlos. We'll be back soon."

"Are you okay?"

His voice was quiet and concerned. Kim could feel a few tears slipping down her face as she spoke, "No, not really," she admitted quietly.

"I'm on my way there."

"No. Bosco, don't. You'll probably pass us on our way back to the house," Kim sighed. "We'll be there soon."

"I'll be waiting," he promised.

"I know. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Are you sure Rose doesn't want to stay the night over here?" Kim asked as she put her bag down while Bosco locked the front door.

"She said she'd be fine," Bosco said coming up behind Kim and resting his hands on her shoulders. "She was more worried about you. She said she saw the news."

"Yeah. My mom called too. I talked to the kids on the way back to the house. Amanda wanted to know why 'nice Mr. Doc' would be so mean," Kim said shakily.

"Kim?" Bosco watched as his wife walked into the boys' room. He followed after a moment or two. She was standing by Johnny's bed holding a stuffed bear.

"You remember this?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"What was it? Six weeks after 9-11?"

"Yeah, about that."

"Amanda and Joey helped him name his stuffed animals about a week ago. Joey insisted on calling this one 'Doc-Bear' because it was from Doc."

"Kimmy," Bosco crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She turned and wrapped her arms around him.

"How could he do that Bosco? Why would he do that? How could we not see how bad he'd gotten?"

"You can't see what people won't let you Kimmy."

Kim sniffled as she pulled back to look Bosco in the eye, "You call me that."

"What? Kimmy?"

"Yeah. You. Jimmy. Bobby. My mom. Mel. The guys at the house. Davis called me Kimmy once."

"So? We're your friends and family."

"Have you ever heard Sully call me 'Kimmy'?"

"No."

"Faith?"

"No. What's going on?"

"Doc called me 'Kimmy'. At the time I just thought he was trying to be casual. Now, I just wonder if the signs were there and I just didn't see them."

"Because he called you Kimmy?"

"Because Doc has never called me Kimmy before. Ever. Because he went after Eugene. Because he lied and he kept lying. He ran over a guy with the ambulance. He shot someone Bosco. Doc shot someone because he thought that it would prove to him how much we needed the house open. Doc did all those things and we never thought anything was really wrong with him. We all just thought he was going through a bad time."

"C'mere," Bosco pulled her close again. "You don't have anything to feel guilty for Kim. You can't help people who won't let you help them. You can't see what people don't want you to see."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?"

"Because he was your friend and he was your mentor. Kim, he trained you. You looked up to him. He was everyone's hero."

"Even yours?"

"Always. He took care of you when you and Alex were in that accident. And, even if he doesn't think so right now, he's still part of our family. He's Johnny's godfather. He's always welcome here."

"Once he gets his head back on straight," Kim amended.

"Absolutely."


	158. Acts

Off Duty

Chapter 158

Bosco and Faith had just gotten back into the RMP from the disturbance call they'd been sent to. It was just a couple of disagreeable senior citizens - set in their ways - that they'd separated and sent on their way.

She was just about to ask him if he wanted to get some coffee when the sound of his phone alerting him to a voicemail message sounded. He'd left it in the car, clipped to the visor, after he'd talked with his brother. They were supposed to meet up with him about something important. They each had to admit that they were pretty suspicious of what Mikey had up his sleeve this time.

Bosco punched in the number to access his voicemail and listened to the voice on the other end, noticing how quiet and sad it had sounded. He looked over to Faith as he started to dial the phone. "Kim," he told her without adding anything else. Faith nodded her understanding that he was returning her call and stared out the side window, trying to act like she couldn't hear despite the fact that they were sitting side-by-side in the car.

"Hey, what's up?" Bosco asked when Kim answered the phone. "How'd it go?"

"How do you think it went?" Kim snapped back at him. Immediately regretting her tone of voice, she apologized. "Sorry."

"It's alright," he told her. "Did you talk about it?"

"A little. It's just weird. This doctor doesn't even know us and thinks she can just come in and make everything all better. Well, it's not all better. Nothing can make this better," she said, her voice rising in anger.

"Easy, Babe," Bosco said calmly. "Look, it can't hurt to talk to someone with a fresh, unbiased perspective, right? I mean, maybe she'll see some way to help you guys get over this," he reasoned.

"He's not talking to anyone, you know," Kim told him, pulling the thought out of the air.

"What? Who's not talking to anyone?" he asked her, trying to keep up. She'd been like that the last day or so - her anger rising and ebbing without notice. The kids had noticed too and Bosco tried to explain to them that Mommy was upset because one of her friends was sick. It seemed to work, because they seemed to be cutting her some slack - giving her a wide birth. He hoped that it'd get back to normal soon and was hoping that this doctor could help. He was silently glad that the Department was making the crew get help in dealing with their emotions.

"Doc! Doc's not talking to anyone. He's over at Bellevue, on a suicide watch, and won't talk to anyone," she said, frustrated that he wasn't keeping up.

"I'm sorry. Maybe it'll just take some time, Kimmy," he said, not knowing what else to say.

"Kimmy. Doc called me Kimmy a lot the last few shifts. I should've known something was wrong. He never called me Kimmy. Never," she said, repeating what she'd told him the night it had happened.

"Are you still working? You want us to come and meet you somewhere?" Bosco asked, trying to change what she was thinking about. He looked over at Faith and shrugged at her.

"No. Look, Bos, I'm sorry. You've got enough crap going on right now. I shouldn't be unloading mine on you," Kim apologized.

"It's okay. You're part of my crap. Wait..., that didn't come out right," he stammered to correct himself as Faith stifled a chuckle alongside him.

"No. I know what you mean. I'm sorry. I'm still working - just supervising from the station and doing paperwork until they're able to fill the vacancy Doc left," she told him.

"What? You mean Carlos and Levine are riding together? Boy, I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that shift," he said, getting a laugh from Kim.

"Yeah. You and me both. She drives him crazy," Kim told him. Shifting the conversation, she asked him, "So, how's your shift going? Did Mikey get hold of you? My Mom called and said he called the house looking for you. Asked her to get a message to you and Mom couldn't remember your cell phone number. Besides, she's afraid to call your cell in case you're in the middle of shooting someone," Kim said, laughing.

Bosco smiled, "Yeah, he got me. I'm meeting up with him in a little bit. Some big information he thinks we can use."

"How's Faith? Everything going okay? I know you were worried about partnering up with her again," she asked him.

"She's good. It's okay. Just like old times. I'll tell her you said hello," he said, looking over at his partner who was looking the opposite direction.

"Good. Well, I gotta get back to work on this report they want me to do," she told him. "Thanks for calling. I just needed to hear your voice. Be careful. I love you," she told him.

"Okay. No problem. Call whenever you need me. You be careful too," he said, waiting for her to hang up.

She decided to tease him. "I said, 'I love you,'" she added again.

"Yeah. Uh huh," he said back. "Bye," he said as he heard her hang up, laughing as she did.

"Kim okay? I mean everything that happened with Doc and all...," Faith asked, looking over at her.

"I think she will be. She's pissed and sad and a whole different range of feelings. That's normal, I guess," Bosco told Faith and she nodded.

"Well, shall we head over to meet Mikey," Faith reminded him, looking at her watch.

"Yeah. I can hardly wait," he said, starting the car and checking the mirrors before pulling out into traffic. "Did I tell you he was at my Ma's last night? She invited me over for dinner; only Mikey was there too. Something about it being part of the program he was doing to get straight. Making amends or some crap like that," he said, slamming on the brakes at the idiot that pulled out in front of him.

"Yeah? So, how'd that go?" Faith asked him, throwing the driver of the offending car a dirty look as Bosco passed him.

"Okay, I guess. He's got a job. Says he's been clean for a while now. I don't know. He's tried it so many times before, it's hard to believe him, you know?" he told her.

"Is that him?" Faith asked, pointing to the side of the road to where someone resembling Mikey Boscorelli stood alongside a classic car.

"Yeah. That can't be his car," Bosco said in disbelief, as he pulled to the curb behind it and they both got out.

* * *

Bosco climbed into bed after checking on the kids and turning off the lights in the living room. He was careful to not move the bed too much, not wanting to wake up Kim. She felt him climb into bed as she was only half-sleeping, waiting for him to come home. He'd called to tell her he'd be late because of some big arrest they'd made. He sounded upbeat when he'd called.

"Hey, so, what happened?" she asked, turning toward him as he enveloped her in his arms.

"We met up with Mikey and he gave us some information on some ecstasy operation working out of Finkelstein's on Grant," he whispered, taking in the smell of her freshly washed hair.

"Finkelstein's?! Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, Faith and I staked it out and grabbed up this kid with a bicycle coming out. Turns out he was transporting like 700 and some ecstasy tabs from the place stashed in the bicycle. We were in the raid of the place and got like 11,000 pills - almost a quarter of a million dollars worth," he told her, the buzz from the adrenaline still there.

"Oh, and I went to the NA meeting for Mikey. He's been clean six months. He got his six month coin tonight and invited me and my Ma and my Pop," he added. "Pop took us out to Manetti's for steaks after."

"And you went?" Kim asked, sitting up, surprised. "With your Dad? You went?"

"Yeah. He's gettin' his act together too, I guess. He invited me," Bosco said, sitting up and moving closer to Kim. She knew where this was leading. Every time he had something big happen at work, he'd come home all charged up and nowhere to put the energy. They'd managed to figure out where he could put his energy.

* * *

Kim had gotten up early to take the kids to school and get some groceries. She kicked the bottom of the door to get Bosco to open the door because her hands were full. She was startled when the door opened so rapidly and she saw the anger on Bosco's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, walking past him into the apartment and setting the bags on the table in the kitchen. She turned to look at him and noticed the wall behind him that had a gouge in the sheetrock, with broken glass lying on the floor at the baseboard.

"Bosco?" she asked, getting alarmed.

"Mikey played me," he said, pacing angrily again.

"What do you mean? What happened?" she asked, walking into the living room and sitting on the couch. She reached for his hand as he paced in front of her and pulled him down onto the couch next to her. "Tell me what happened," she urged him.

* * *

Kim finished up her shift and was heading out to meet Bosco at his car so they could go home. As she crossed the street, she watched him come out the front door of the Precinct. The way he carried himself and the set of his shoulders told her he hadn't gotten anywhere.

Bosco had taken the night off to see if he could find his brother and find out just what was going on. He didn't believe that he was totally innocent in all this, even though he wanted to. And, he couldn't help but feel that his father - who was 'doing so well' lately - was involved somehow.

"Hey," he said in greeting as she approached him.

"What'd you find out?" Kim asked him, giving him a kiss.

"Not much. But, I can bet my old man has somethin' to do with this. You should see that place they're living in. No way can he afford that place on cab fares," he said, opening the door for her.

"Tomorrow's another day. You can try to track him down tomorrow," she said, trying to soothe him somehow. He closed the door and started to walk around the front of the car to get in when he noticed the commotion. There was an excited animation to everyone as the unformed and non-uniformed officers poured out of the station. As a uniformed cop ran by him to get into his RMP, Bosco heard the repeated message over the radio. It was Cruz.

"10-13, 10-13! Officer down!" she yelled, and he could tell that she was losing her composure. "10-13, 10-13! Get me a bus!"

He looked over at Kim who had opened the car door and stood up in time to hear the officer's radio crackle. She knew it wasn't the fact that it was Cruz calling. She knew that it was the fact that there was an officer down. Without hesitating, she looked at him and told him to go.

He threw her the keys and told her he'd see her later. She watched him grab a ride with one of the leaving RMP's.

TBC...


	159. Good Dads

Chapter 159

Kim sat on her bed watching Bosco get ready to leave. She knew he wasn't working today. He was going to look for Mikey.

"Your Mom called. Did I tell you that?" she asked quietly.

Bosco paused for a moment and then went back to dressing, "No. You didn't. I talked to her last night. I told her to call if Mikey showed at her house." He looked at her. "What did she say?"

"That she's worried about you. You kinda scared her when you showed up at her house last night."

"She should be scared. They think Mikey killed a cop, Kim."

"I know. Carlos told me." She looked down at her hands and then back at him, "What do you think?"

"I can't afford to think right now."

"Oh, don't tell me that. Please don't tell me that."

"I didn't mean it like that," Bosco said.

"Good. Because I need you to think while you're out there because I need you alive."

"I know."

"Good. Bosco, I know you need to do this. I know you need to find Mikey so you can help him. But I need you to do something for me."

"Okay."

Kim brought her legs up onto the bed and crossed them before she met Bosco's eyes. "When Bobby died I felt a little like a widow around the guys in the house. I don't want to feel like that again."

"Kim-"

"I'm not done. So, today, when you're out there looking for Mikey, I want you to remember that you have a daughter who looks up to you and wants to be a cop just like her dad. I want you to think of the fact that whenever someone asks Joey what his parents do he tells them that one of his Dads is a firefighter, the other is a cop, and his Mom is a paramedic. And I pray that you remember that Johnny isn't old enough to remember you well enough yet. Also, think of me. I need you."

"Kim, I think of you guys every day."

"I know. Just try and think of us extra hard today before you do anything."

"I will. I promise." He kissed her and then left her in their bedroom.

Kim heard the door shut and let out a breath, "Be careful Bosco. Mikey, if you get him hurt, I'll kill you."

* * *

Kim shot a look at the clock next to her bed when she heard the bedroom door open. She heard Bosco move around and stifled a laugh when she heard him curse after knocking into the dresser. She took pity on him and turned on the light. 

"Hey," she said sitting up.

"Sorry I woke you," he said sitting down on the edge of their bed and taking off his shoes.

"You didn't. I was waiting for you," she sat up. "You okay?"

"I've been better." He paused for a moment. "Kim, Jimmy's a good Dad right?"

"Joey seems to think so."

"What about you?" He turned to face her.

"Yeah. He loves Joey and he'd do anything for him. I think that's the essence of a good Dad. Why?"

"What about me?"

"Do I think you're a good Dad?"

"Yeah."

"Yes. I think you're a great Dad. Joey, Amanda, and Johnny all love you."

"Do you think I'd ever do anythng to hurt them?"

"What? No, Bosco, of course not."

"I have always had this fear of turning into my Dad."

"I know," Kim said as she scooted down and took his hand in hers. "You shouldn't though. You're not like him."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Bosco, you're not like your Dad."

"He turned Mikey in."

"What?!"

"He turned Mikey in for the money. Told them where to look for him."

"Oh Jesus, Bosco."

"He turned in his own son for money."

"You wouldn't do that."

"Kim-"

"No. I don't care what you think of genetics - you would not do that to any of our kids. You'd do for them what you did today for Mikey. You'd try your hardest to help them. I know that. So do you."

Bosco looked down at the bed and Kim reached out and made him look at her.

"Hey. So do they."

"I love you, Kimmy."

"Love you, too, Maurice."


	160. Playing Games

Chapter 160

"Are you coming with me?" Bosco asked Kim as he gathered up his duffle bag and keys.

"Um..., no," Kim said, looking around at the three kids that were nowhere near ready.

"You okay?" he asked her, noticing that she seemed pretty distracted this morning.

"Yeah, why?" she responded as she chased Johnny from the living room, through the kitchen and back out to the living room again, where he ran behind Bosco, giggling the entire time. Johnny didn't go from crawling to walking - he went straight to running and hadn't slowed down since! Jumping around to Bosco's left, she managed to fake out Johnny and he ran right into her arms, the giggle becoming infectious now as Bosco and Kim both started laughing.

"I don't know..., you're usually more... organized than this," he said, expecting and receiving a sharp poke in the ribs from Kim as she turned to head down the hallway to Johnny's room to get him ready.

Grabbing his side, he said "Hey! Don't hurt me. I need to be at my best to beat those Bucket Boys."

"Yeah, yeah. In your dreams, Boscorelli," she called over her shoulder. "Play nice. We'll be there in a little while. Hey, wait a minute!" she called out to him as he had his hand on the doorknob.

"Joey! Are you ready to go? 'Cause Bosco can bring you with him," she called across the hallway to her eldest.

"Yeah, Mom. Comin' Dad!" he yelled out.

"Yeah, yeah, so's Christmas!" Bosco responded, getting a groan from Kim. That seemed to be his favorite saying lately.

"Bye, Mom!" Joey called out as he ran up the hallway to join Bosco.

"Behave!" she called after him.

"Aw, Mom!" he called back.

Reaching the front door, Joey ran through the door that Bosco held open. "Hang on," he said to Joey, holding up one finger. He walked back toward Johnny's room, thinking how Kim had kind of been up and down lately since Doc shot Captain Steeper. He reached the doorway and looked in to see Kim sitting on the edge of the rocker, staring at Johnny while he played with his toys.

"Kim," he called softly. She looked up at him, startled. "You sure you're alright?" he asked her again, walking over and kneeling down next to her.

She put her hand on the side of his face and leaned over and kissed him, receiving a response back from Bosco. "I'm okay. Just a little down today. I'll be fine. See you in a little bit," she assured him.

"Okay," Bosco said, standing up. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you there."

"Yup," she said, nodding. "Oh, make sure Joey has his bag, 'cause he's going to Jimmy's tonight," she reminded him.

"Will do," he said and headed up the hallway to the front door. He took a look at Joey and saw that he had everything. He pulled the door closed behind him and they headed off to the basketball court for the Camelot Cup.

* * *

Everyone was at the court warming up. Faith had even decided to play. She was trying to get back into shape and thought any activity would help with that. Bosco noticed her look at the door every time it opened, as if she were looking for someone.

"Fred and the kids coming?" Bosco asked as he walked up alongside her, dribbling the basketball.

"No. Emily said she and Charlie were coming though. They should be here by now though," Faith said, looking at the clock on the gymnasium wall.

"You want me to help you find them?" Bosco offered, tossing the ball over toward Ty Davis.

Just then the door opened and he saw Faith's face relax as they walked in. They waved to them as they caught sight of them. "Thanks," Faith said to Bosco for his offer to help her find them. Emily and Charlie found Joey sitting up in the bleachers and climbed up to join him.

The referees were here and the two opposing teams readied themselves to get down to business. Just as they were setting up for the jump to start the game, the door swung open and Maritza Cruz rushed in.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Faith said to herself under her breath.

Bosco looked over at Faith and saw the tense look on her face. He followed her gaze and was surprised himself to see Sgt. Cruz on the sideline, taking off her sweats and getting ready to play. He looked back at Faith and saw the look she was giving him, as if he was supposed to know that she was coming and had kept it from Faith.

He gave her his most sincere look and shrugged, indicating he was just as shocked as she was, as he walked over to her.

"She better stay the hell out of my way," Faith said as the whistle blew and the jump ball was recovered by NYPD.

Bosco looked at the clock and then at the door, noticing that Kim and the kids weren't there yet. He'd told Joey to use his cell phone and give her a call and was told that she was on her way.

Just as he was about to go back to the game, he noticed the door to the gym open and was relieved to see Kim, Amanda and Johnny walk in. He made eye contact with Kim and noticed that she looked a little better than earlier. He was glad of that. He'd been worried about her lately.

Bosco's attention was brought back to the game by shouts from both sides of the game and the referee's whistle indicating a foul was committed. He looked over to see the group of players standing around a figure lying on the floor. Not spotting Faith right away, he was afraid that she'd done something to her back again. As he hurried over, he caught sight of Faith standing off to the side of the group, wiping some sweat from her forehead with a towel. Getting a closer look, he saw that Martiza Cruz was lying on the ground. She started to sit up and Bosco saw the blood pouring from her nose.

Kim noticed the blood and immediately handed off Johnny to Emily and told Amanda to stay with Joey. She climbed down the bleachers and grabbed the first aid kit from the sideline as Cruz was helped to a chair on the side of the court.

As Kim began cleaning up the blood so she could see exactly where it was coming from, Bosco followed Cruz's cold-blooded stare over to Faith who was staring back just as intently.

"Feel better?" Bosco asked Faith as he walked over to stand alongside her.

"About what?" Faith replied, her voice thick with innocence.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She got a little too close. I guess I caught her in the nose with my elbow. Too bad, she almost got the ball away from me. She should be more careful," Faith said, walking away. Bosco noticed the look of satisfaction on her face.

"Oh, man," he said, looking from Faith to Cruz and back again. Shaking his head, he walked back onto the court to resume the game as Kim continued to tend to Cruz's bloody nose.


	161. Haze

Chapter 161

Bosco was almost asleep when Kim's voice broke through his haze.

"Bos?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Do you ever wonder what goes on in other people's heads?"

"What?"

"Do you ever wonder what someone else is thinking when you see them?"

Bosco opened his eyes and looked at his wife, "What?"

"Do you?"

"Kim, I have enough trouble figuring out what's in my head. I don't think I should be trying to figure out what someone else is thinking."

"Oh," she said in a small, quiet voice. "Okay."

Bosco sighed, he knew that voice. He'd heard it many times. It was Kim's 'I think I want to talk about something but you might not understand so I'll just keep quiet' voice. He rolled over and wrapped an arm around Kim.

"What's up?"

"I don't know. I guess this is just residual guilt for not seeing that something was seriously wrong with Doc."

"Kimmy, listen to me. You are not the only one he fooled. He fooled everyone into thinking that he was functioning normally and if he seemed a little wired we all just chalked it up to stress. Are you hearing me? It wasn't just you. It wasn't just the firehouse. You guys weren't the only ones who worked with him and never thought twice about anything he did. Everyone thought it was just stress Kim. Everyone."

"Then why do I feel like I failed him some how?"

"You didn't fail him Kim. What did I tell you? You can't see what people won't let you."

"Right."

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I can think of a few people you didn't fail. Captain Steeper is still alive because of you and Carlos. There are a lot of people in this city that owe you for getting them to a hospital alive and I happen to know of four people who are very grateful for your presence."

"Really?"

"Yep," Bosco smiled.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, I promise."


	162. Okay Again

Chapter 162

"Hey," Kim said as she took in the sight of an exhausted Bosco coming in the door.

Hanging his coat on the hook by the door, he took in a deep breath. "Hey, yourself," he said, letting the breath out. "How's the kids?"

Kim had called in to work that day because two out of the three kids had terrible colds. Earlier, at the car explosion, Bosco had visions of what happened to Taylor and Sasha and thanked God that Kim was at home today.

"The same. Except that we're three for three now," she added, throwing the book she was reading onto the coffee table as Bosco dropped heavily onto the couch alongside her.

"Great," he said, rubbing his eyes. "How're you doing? Sorry we didn't get to stop home tonight for dinner," he apologized as she kissed him. Faith and Bosco were tied up the rest of the night following up on the accident and he barely got a chance to call and say they wouldn't be there.

"You were busy," she said simply, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Did you get anything to eat? I've got leftovers in the fridge," she offered.

"Nah. Not hungry," he answered, the attention she was giving him making his body begin to relax.

"I saw the news. Everyone okay?" Kim asked him.

"Well, Monroe's okay – or will be – physically anyway. She screwed up her shoulder or somethin' and got a cut on her head," Bosco told her. "The kid died at the hospital – broken neck from the air bag in the front seat – and the Mom's being admitted, but I don't think its anything too serious. Davis took Monroe home," he added with a smile.

"What?" Kim said, the suspense killing her. "Are they an item?"

Bosco shook his head and pointed his finger at her as if to warn her, "Now, don't go startin' any rumors, but he sure had those puppy dog eyes at the hospital."

"Aw, I wish I was there to see that. Too bad it was under those circumstances," she said sadly.

He suddenly turned toward Kim and kissed her and then wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad you weren't there, Kim."

"Must've been awful. How'd things go with Faith today? You said things've been getting better every shift," she asked him.

"Good. Things are starting to get back to normal, I think. But, I think things are tense at home. Fred's givin' her grief about comin' back to work," he told her.

Suddenly remembering, he added, "There's a new probie at the firehouse. Umm, Harte or somethin' like that. Yeah, J.D. Harte. Apparently, he used to be a cop."

"Oh yeah? How d'you know that?" Kim asked him as he slid down deeper into the couch. He kicked off his shoes and put his feet up on the coffee table and she noted that he'd just taken the Bosco nap position.

"He came over to the House after the accident. He noticed that the car Monroe hit didn't have any taillights and came over to tell us when Cruz came in. Apparently, he was the one that ratted out her whole crew over at the 5-1. Supposedly her team over there was involved in taking drug money and he testified about it. Cruz's partner ate his gun over it, so I guess he wasn't just telling stories," Bosco told her.

"Wow. When was this?" Kim asked, surprised.

"Faith said it was about two or three years ago. I don't remember that much about it," he answered, stifling a yawn.

"Well, don't fall asleep there. Let's go to bed. I'm beat," Kim said, standing up and grabbing onto his arm to pull him up as well. Bosco locked everything up and turned of the lights and they walked down the hallway. Just as they reached the middle of the hallway, Johnny started to whimper.

Bosco put his hand on the back of Kim's neck and gently pushed her. "Go. I'll get him." She was so exhausted she decided not to argue. She knew it wouldn't be the first time Johnny'd be up during the night. His nose was so stuffy he couldn't breathe.

"Check the level of the water in the humidifier," she called quietly over her shoulder.

* * *

Bosco and Faith were in the station filling out reports from the arrests. Kim had taken another day off with the kids. "I've already got the germs. No sense in all of us getting sick," she'd reasoned when Bosco offered to take today off and let her go to work.

Faith glanced at the clock and then over at her partner. "Don't forget to give Kim a call," she reminded him.

"Thanks," he said, dropping his pen on the desk and picking up the phone. He dialed and waited for Kim to answer.

"Hey, how's it going?" he asked when Kim answered the phone.

"Great. Never better," she said and he heard the sound of her voice.

"Oh no. Not you too," he groaned. "I'm sleeping here tonight," he joked.

He smiled as Faith laughed at his comment. "Need anything on the way home?"

"No. Just you beside me. I'm freezing," Kim complained.

"Soon. I've got some reports to finish up. Don't wait up 'cause I'll be a little bit late," he warned her.

"Big night?" she asked.

"Kind of, yeah. Turns out Monroe was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We found out that the whole accident was part of an insurance fraud scheme that went horribly wrong. She still feels responsible though. And then we had to pull Cruz off that Harte guy when they started going at it in the middle of the street. It was great – an FDNY-NYPD rumble," he laughed.

"Children," Kim commented. "Everything else okay?"

"Yeah. Go to bed. I'll be home soon. And don't breathe on my pillow!" he called out to her just before Kim had hung up the phone.

"Kim's sick now too?" Faith asked as he put the phone down and picked his pen up again.

"Yeah. Think she'll be pissed if I sleep on the couch?" he asked.

"Go home and take it like a man, Boscorelli," Faith said, throwing a piece of wadded up paper at him, striking him in the middle of the forehead.

"Ow. Hey!" he said, throwing the paper back at her.

"You guys gonna play around all night or you gonna get those reports done?" Lt. Swersky asked as he walked by and saw the paper fight.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry Lieu," Faith said.

"Uh huh," Swersky said, continuing down the hallway, smiling now that the two of them seemed to be okay again.


	163. Raves

Chapter 163

"Hey, how's your mom?" Kim asked as she hugged Bosco.

"Asleep, hopefully," Bosco returned the embrace and squeezed Kim gently.

"Where are the kids?"

"Joey and Amanda are at school and Johnny's at Mom's. She's gonna come get me later."

Bosco nodded. "I'm sorry I wasn't here last night."

"Rose needed you. We were fine, don't worry."

Bosco smiled a little.

"What?"

"You know what scares me?"

"That I'm mother of your children," Kim kidded him.

"No, I think that's the only thing that doesn't scare me lately. I don't think I could've picked a better woman to love me than you Kimmy."

"Yeah? Thank you. I think that's maybe one of the best compliments I've gotten in a while. So, what scares you?"

"That one day, someone is going to offer Johnny drugs and for some reason or another he's going to take them."

"It won't happen," Kim told him. "He's going to know better."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

* * *

Carlos picked up the phone at a nurses' desk down the hall while Holly Levine stood a few feet away. She'd won the coin toss, so he had to tell Bosco what happened with Kim.

"55th Precinct. Lt. Swersky," the voice on the other end said.

"Is Maurice Boscorelli there?"

"Officer Boscorelli is in a meeting right now. Can I take a message?"

"Lieutenant? This is Carlos Nieto from the fire station across the street. I'm calling about Bosco's wife, Kim."

"She alright?"

"Not exactly. Can I talk to him?"

"Hold on."

Carlos waited for someone to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Bosco? It's Carlos."

"What's going on?"

"Did you hear about the fire tonight at that rave?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Kim was there. She inhaled some smoke and-"

"Carlos is she okay?"

"She's alive and she's awake and she's breathing."

"I'm on my way there."

"Okay," Carlos said as they hung up.

"How'd he take it?" Holly asked.

"Surprisingly well. Of course I didn't mention the fact that the only reason Kim was there was because of Harte."

"Bosco's gonna hurt him, isn't he?"

"It's a possibility," Carlos nodded. "I wonder if I should call Kim's mom."

"Let Bosco do it. You just think of a way to keep him from killing J.D."

"While I think ways to keep myself from killing him."

"Exactly."

-----------

"Mary? Where's Kim?" Bosco asked the nurse as he came in.

"Down the hall and to your right. Second door on the left."

"Thanks," Bosco tossed over his shoulder as he fairly ran down the hall to his wife's room. He opened the door and walked in. "Kim?"

"Hey," she smiled at him. "Who called?"

"Carlos." He came over to her side and kissed her forehead. "I called Catherine. She's gonna keep the kids with her tonight."

"Okay," Kim nodded.

"Kimmy, what happened?"

"I was supposed to get a ride home today from my mom and she got held up so I tried getting a cab only I didn't have the money and no one else had it to lend me. So, that new guy offered me a ride. The hitch was that we had to make a ten minute stop."

"New guy? You mean Harte's the reason you're here?"

"They had chains on the fire doors, Bos. Everyone was so scared."

"You included."

"Yeah," Kim nodded. "I was scared. I kept wondering if I was ever going to see you guys again."

"I'll kill him. Kim, I swear to God, I will kill him."

"Don't. He's gonna be in enough trouble once I talk to Billy."

"Walsh? What about?"

"J.D.'s part of the rave. Or he used to be anyway."

"What?"

"Yeah. I don't know why he had to stop there but everyone knew him and he got in for free."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. They just wanna keep me here overnight."

"Lemme go give Catherine a call and I'll be back."

"Alright," Kim nodded.

----------

"Kim?"

"Shhhh!!!" He heard as he came into the living room.

"What's wrong," he whispered.

"I finally got Johnny to go to sleep. If you wake him up, it's your ass, Boscorelli."

"Sorry, Baby," Bosco sat down next to her. "How was your day?"

"Harte quit."

"What?"

"I went in to talk to Billy and before I could get a word out, he told me that Harte quit."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. As Billy said, 'not so much as a kiss my ass' and he was out the door."

"Wow. Maybe he was worried about what you'd say."

"Probably," Kim agreed. "Meanwhile, I saw the news. What the hell happened?"

"Cruz."

"Ah and what did Maritza do this time?"

"Maritza?"

"She's not my boss. I can call her whatever I want. But I don't want the kids to pick up on my other name for her."

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Later. I have a feeling Amanda's still awake."

"Okay." Bosco sighed.

"What?"

"I want you to be careful."

"Oh, why don't I like the sound of that?"

"The guy who died in the crash today, his father's some big drug guy."

"And he'll be looking for revenge?"

"Right. If I thought you'd go, I'd ask you to stay at your mom's."

"No way Jose."

"How well do I know you?"

"Very well," Kim smiled. "Wanna go to bed?"

"Yeah," Bosco nodded.

"Good," Kim smiled.


	164. Too Quiet

Chapter 164

"Bosco?" Kim said, wondering if he was still on the other end of the phone. He was awful quiet – too quiet. She knew that meant something was brewing. She hoped it wasn't with his brother. He hadn't called her after Mikey's bail hearing and then not for his entire shift.

"Yeah," Bosco said and Kim noticed how tired his voice sounded. "Was it a tired or depressed tone?" Kim thought to herself.

"What's wrong?" she said, sitting up from where she was lying on the couch watching the news.

"Nothing. It's just been a rough day. I'm goin' out with a couple of the guys to unwind. I just wanted to let you know not to wait up," he told her.

"Bosco..., what happened? Is Mikey okay? You didn't call me," she said, standing up now to pace while she talked to him.

"What? Yeah, he's fine. I'm sorry. He'll probably be out by the morning. I should call my Ma," he thought absently.

"Out? Well, that's great. At least he won't have to sit in there until his trial," Kim said brightening, but still wondering what had her husband in such a somber mood.

"Yeah, well, there may not be a trial. I think the judge basically threw out the confession. Martin brought up the fact that as a police officer, I didn't marandize Mikey before I talked to him," he told her. He briefly relayed the rest of the bizarre bail hearing and Kim realized that Bosco was pissed at this attorney for making him look bad.

"Anyway, I gotta find Mikey a new lawyer," she heard him say.

"Why? It sounds like he's doing good for your brother," she said.

"Yeah, well, it's a long story. I can't really talk about it now," he said, and Kim could visualize the frown of his brow through the phone.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I just won't be able to sleep right now. Go ahead and go to bed. I won't be too long. Kids okay?" he asked.

"They're fine. Don't be too late, okay? I love you," she told him.

"Me too. Bye," he said, hanging up the phone and putting it in his jacket pocket. He looked around the locker room and saw that everyone else from the shift had left – even Faith. Of course, he'd told her to leave – that he'd process Martin. His mind drifted back to the dark blue/black of the bruises that covered both Rebecca and Jan and he wondered again why Jan hadn't asked for their help while she had the chance. If not for herself, how could she have let her daughter go through all that? He saw again the bruises that covered both mother and daughter and the description of the apartment that Faith had given him.

He hadn't realized that he'd been sitting there for quite a while when his cell phone rang. As he looked at the caller id, he noted the time that appeared in the screen of the phone as well. 3:00 a.m. He wouldn't have been surprised if it was Kim calling to check up on him, but the phone number that displayed did surprise him.

"Hey," he answered, expecting one voice, but hearing another.

"Boscorelli, where's Faith?" came the gruff voice of Fred Yokas through his phone. A sudden panic went through him. What did he mean, where's Faith? She should have been home along time ago.

"She's not home?" he replied, trying to keep himself calm.

"Well, I sure as hell wouldn't be callin' you if I didn't have to," Fred said meanly. Bosco closed his eyes to the sound of hatred in Fred's voice.

"Well, she left here a while ago. I finished booking our last arrest," he told him.

"Well, she's not here. I figured you had her involved in some kind of crap again," Fred sneered through the phone.

"No, Fred. Not this time. Look, I'm still at the house – I was just leaving," he said, standing up and closing his locker. "I'll head home by way of her route and see if I see anything. If you don't hear from her soon, call me back. I'll let you know if I find her," he said, swinging the door to the locker room open and striding out.

* * *

She was asleep, sitting in the chair next to the bed. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, spinning to face whoever was there at the same time.

"Faith? What're you doin?" he asked his partner as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"Bosco. What're you doing here?" she asked in surprise as she gathered her thoughts together.

"Fred called me. He wanted to know where you were. I told him you left work on time. Have you been here the whole time?" Bosco asked her in a whisper as he glanced over at Rebecca, so small and pale in the bed.

Faith nodded. "I just can't get her out of my mind, Bos. I mean, what if I missed her trying to ask me for help. I feel like I failed her," she said, fresh tears starting to form in her eyes. "I remembered when we were walking out of that restaurant, she grabbed onto my hand. I gave her a glance, but I didn't' really pay attention. What if that was when she tried to get help? I blew it," she said, looking over at the peaceful child.

"Faith. It's not your fault. We didn't know. I wish to God we did, but we didn't," he told her, squatting down next to her, one knee on the floor.

Faith cleared her throat, changing the subject. "How'd you find me?" she asked.

"Well, when Fred called I was still at the house. I just followed your route home in case something happened along the way. When I got to your apartment, Fred was outside on the steps waiting. He said you hadn't come home yet. I had a hunch so I came over here," he explained.

"Fred called you?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he was real pleasant too. Wanted to know what kind of crap I'd gotten you into now," Bosco said dryly.

"I'm sorry," Faith said as Bosco stood up.

"Forget it. I deserve it. C'mon, I'll give you a ride home. You can't do any more for her now. We just have to wait and hope for the best. I mean, she's hung on this long, right?" he said.

"No. I'll grab a cab. Kim'll be pissed at me for keeping you out all night," Faith said.

"I told her I wouldn't be home 'til late. I needed to unwind after tonight. C'mon. But, you better call Fred and tell him you're on your way," Bosco said, giving her a soft punch in the arm and walking out of the room to give her time to say goodbye to Rebecca. He stole a glance at the little girl as he left as well.


	165. The Worst News

Chapter 165

Davis took out his cell phone once Rose Boscorelli's cries could no longer be heard. He dialed Sasha's cell phone.

"Monroe."

"Hey Sasha, it's me. Where are you?"

"Just going into the precinct, why?"

"You see Adam 55-3 around anywhere?"

"Yeah. It's parked across the street. Why?"

"When we were leaving before, it wasn't around and Bosco didn't want to wait before he told his mom."

"So Kim doesn't know?"

"No."

"Okay. I can do it."

"You sure? If you want, take someone with you."

"No. If I show up with the Sarge, she's gonna go nuts and think it's Bosco. I'll do it alone."

"Alright."

"Thanks for telling me."

"Yeah. Hey. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Sasha hung her phone up and walked across the street. The garage was quiet and the trucks were there so Sasha figured they were upstairs.

"Can I help you Officer?"

Sasha turned and put her hands up, "I come in peace, Walsh. Need to talk to one of your medics."

"Carlos screw up again," Billy kidded.

"No. I need to talk to Kim."

Billy looked up and his smile faded. "Just you? I always thought they sent the brass for something like this."

"It's not Bosco. He's okay. Well, he's alive. Okay, might be stretching it a bit."

"Stay here." Billy headed up the stairs and a few minutes later came back down with Kim following him.

"Sasha?" Kim looked worried.

"Hey Kim," she said trying to smile. "Uh Billy, can we have a minute?"

"No, it's okay. He can stay."

"Okay," Sasha nodded. "Kim, something happened today. That body you and that new girl found this morning?"

"What about it?"

"It was Michael."

"Michael?" Kim looked confused. Then her mouth opened slightly, "Oh my God. You mean it was Mikey?"

"Yeah," Sasha nodded. "Kim, I'm so sorry."

Kim took half a step back and then faltered a little. Billy steadied her.

"Where's Bosco?" she finally asked.

"He went to tell Rose. He didn't want to wait."

Kim nodded, "I- I need to be there."

"I'll take you," Sasha volunteered.

"Mom. I have to call her and tell her. She's got Amanda and Johnny. Joey's with Jimmy."

"Kim?" Billy put his hands on her shoulders. "Take a deep breath okay? Sasha's gonna take you to see Bosco and you can call Catherine later. I'll call Jimmy for you."

"Thanks Billy."

"You got it kid."

* * *

"Bosco?"

Kim was standing in the doorway to Rose's living room when he looked up. She was still in her uniform and her eyes were red rimmed.

He sighed, "Thank God. C'mere will you?"

Kim didn't hesitate in letting Bosco wrap her up in a hug and she returned the gesture. It was a long time before Kim realized that Bosco had fallen asleep in her arms and it would be even longer before Kim's own eyes closed.

* * *

"Thought I might find you here," Kim's voice said as she got closer.

"Kim, I-"

"Forget it Boscorelli. I'm not going anywhere so you can just put it out of your head. I took you for better or worse, remember?"

"Vividly."

She stood next to him and followed his gaze. "I heard about, well, a lot today."

"I keep blaming everyone else."

"You did not do this to him, Bosco."

"I should have kept Cruz and that damn lawyer the hell away from him," Bosco said angrily.

"You're not the amazing Kreskin. You couldn't have known what would happen."

"I did know. That's the thing. All the people Cruz was arresting because she was getting the names from Mikey and she wouldn't slow down. I asked her to slow down. And that lawyer? He represents all of them. He knows all of them."

"Faith called my cell as I was leaving the house to come look for you. I don't think the lawyer will be bothering anyone for a while. She made it pretty clear to the other inmates that he was a child abuser."

"So, that leaves Cruz."

"Well, karma's a bitch."

"Karma?" Bosco looked at her skeptically. "You've been talking to Levine again, haven't you?"

"All I'm saying is that what goes around, comes around."

"So, she'll get hers?"

"Yes. She will. I only hope it's in front of a lot of witnesses."

"You and me both."

Kim was quiet for a moment before she spoke again, "You know, your mom's worried about you."

"I'm sorry about this morning Kimmy."

"Don't be. Truth be told, I probably would've done the same thing if the situations were reversed and my old man dared to show up after turning Mel in for money."

"Thanks for that but I'm still sorry I left you alone in the house like that."

"It's okay. I had Mom come get me. Amanda says to tell you that she loves you very much and she can't wait for you to come home because she wants to give you a hug and make you feel better like you do for her when she feels bad about something."

"Got a pretty good daughter, don't we?"

"Yeah, I like to think so. She's a lot like her daddy."

"God, I hope not."

Kim giggled a little. "Come home?"

"Yeah, I think I'd like that," Bosco nodded.

"Good," Kim nodded. "C'mon."


	166. Tragedy Doubled

Chapter 166

Bosco stood looking out the window at the gray, dreary day. The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach was unrelenting. He jumped, startled by the hand that gently touched his shoulder and squeezed.

"Sorry," Kim said in response to startling him. He reached up to cover her hand with his own. "How're you doing?" she asked in almost a whisper.

"I'm okay," he said unconvincingly.

"Let me get you something to eat before we go," Kim offered. He hadn't eaten anything since he'd come back from telling Rose that Mikey was gone. He shook his head. "It won't help anyone if you let yourself get run down. Rose needs you more than ever now," she reminded him.

"Later. After the wake," he said, turning from the window to face her. "You and the kids okay?"

"Yeah," Kim said, putting her arm around his and guiding him toward the couch. "Melanie came to get the kids earlier. She said she'd keep them overnight if we want. I just have to let her know."

"Nah. I want them home tonight, okay?" he said, looking at his watch. He stood. "We should get going. You ready?"

"Yeah. You?" she asked, walking over to get her purse and following him to the door.

"Not really. But, I better get over there. I told Ma to wait for me, but she'll probably go in even if I'm not there," he said, suddenly in a rush.

Bosco sat next to Rose on the couch near Mikey's casket. Kim stood off to the side talking to some of the members from the firehouse. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Anthony Boscorelli walking toward Rose. Kim quietly excused herself from her conversation and casually walked over to stand behind Bosco. She almost felt the tension rise in Bosco as his father approached.

Mr. Boscorelli leaned over and said something quietly to Rose who then started to cry. Kim saw the tear escape down Bosco's cheek and she put a hand on his shoulder in support.

For a moment she thought there was going to be a confrontation right there in the middle of the funeral home, but Bosco checked himself and let his father leave to take his Aunt Fran back to her hotel while he helped Rose regain composure.

"How're you doing?" Kim asked Bosco has he watched Rose walk across the room with Faith. Faith was taking her outside to get some fresh air.

"She's really having a hard time," he said absently.

"She's strong. She'll be okay. We'll all be here to help her through it," Kim said. "I left my cell phone in the car. I'm gonna go get it and check on the kids, okay?"

"Yeah. Tell them I love them," Bosco said, looking Kim in the eye. "I love you too," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Ditto," she said, placing her hand on the side of his face for a second and then turning to go to the car.

Bosco looked back at Faith and Rose who'd been stopped by well wishers on their way outside.

It all happened so fast - he hardly had time to register the yell from Ty and Sasha from the lobby of the funeral home before something came crashing through the doors and into the room with him. He felt himself being launched through the air and slamming against a few chairs and the wall. He landed with a thud on the floor, head first into an overturned chair.

"What the...?" he said, taking in the commotion as he threw debris off of himself. His brain tried to register the fact that there, in the middle of the room, was a car, smoke billowing from under the hood from a broken radiator. He stood quickly without taking stock of whether or not he was injured. He never felt the cut on his left cheek - the cheek that Kim had kissed just seconds before. He looked around quickly for Kim and saw her trying to get back into the room from where she'd exited the building. She was blocked by debris. At least he knew she was okay.

Now, he sat in the waiting room, remembering of the terror in Faith's voice as she called for him while he wrestled the detonator from the guy that had run the car into the building. He shuddered as he remembered the dread he'd felt thinking that Faith had been injured again and then the further fear that Faith had been with his mother when the whole thing had started.

The lump was still in his throat from when he circled around the car and saw his mother lying, unconscious, on the floor.

* * *

He now listened as Cruz, Faith and Ty discussed the fact that Yoshi wasn't at the raid or the wake. With all that had happened, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why it mattered.

"What difference does it make where Yoshi is?!" he said, exasperated. He happened to glance over at Faith whose eyes went wide as she straightened in her seat. He knew something terrible was about to happen just by the look on her face. At the same time she called his name and directed his eyes to the window facing the hospital hallway.

They saw the gunman raise his weapon. The last thing Bosco heard before the glass started to shatter was the sound of Kim's voice as she screamed his name. They all hit the floor trying to duck below the line the bullets traveled.

* * *

Kim was talking to Holly, Carlos and Grace when she'd finally had enough of Grace's 'holier than though' attitude and walked out of the nurses' lounge. As she opened the door and headed in the direction of the waiting area and Bosco, she saw masked gunmen coming down the hallway. She froze at the sight of the man raising his weapon and aiming it at the window where Bosco waited for word on his mother.

Her screams brought the attention of the other gunmen to her and she dove back through the door of the lounge as they opened fire in her direction.


	167. Bye Guys Take Care

_"You quit?"_

_"Yeah. I just can't do it anymore. I need to be around for my kids. With Bosco they're gonna need me now more than ever. Especially Amanda."_

_"Daddy's little girl."_

_"Yep."_

_"What did Billy say?"_

_"He said they'd miss me but they'd understand. Carlos said I was doing the right thing you know?" Kim shot a look at the clock._

_"He'll be okay."_

_"He's been in there a long time."_

_"He's strong and he's got a lot to live for. C'mon, you think he'd leave you to torture Amanda's future dates alone?"_

_Kim laughed a little._

_"Kimmy, it's not as bad as it was with Alex."_

_"Faith had so much blood on her. It was all his. She wouldn't let me tell Rose, you know? She said it had to be her. She went to wash up and then she was going to tell him. Swersky offered but she turned him down."_

_"Kim, listen to me. It's okay. He'll be okay."_

_"You don't know that."_

_"Sure I do."_

_"How?"_

_"I'm a very wise man."_

_"Sure you are."_

_"Kim, he'll be okay."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise. It's not his time yet. He's got a lot more living to do."_

_"You sound like a musical."_

_Her response was a kiss on the top of the head. "Time to wake up."_

_"What?"_

"Kim? Kim, time to wake up."

Kim opened her eyes and saw her mother staring at her. "Mom?"

"Sweetie, are you okay? You were talking in your sleep. Something about a musical."

Kim blinked and looked around her. She was in the surgical waiting room. "Uh, yeah. I'm okay. Is there any word?"

"Yeah. He's out of surgery. The doctors don't know which way it's going to go though. But the doctor's say that since he made it through surgery, it's a good sign."

Kim nodded. "They won't let me see him for a while, right?"

"No. They said after he's out of recovery."

Kim nodded again. "I have to go to the house for a little while. I won't be long."

* * *

Kim looked around the kitchen of the firehouse. She had a lot of good memories here.

_She was sitting at the table reading a magazine when Alex sat across from her._

_"Kim, you got a pen?"_

_"Yeah," she handed it across the table without looking up._

_"Oh my God," she heard before Alex took her hand._

_"What?" She looked up._

_"When did he ask you?" Alex smiled as she looked at Kim's ring._

_"Last night," Kim smiled._

_"Doc! Carlos! Get in here! Kim's getting married."_

------

_"Uh, what is that smell?" Jimmy asked sitting down on one side of Carlos while Kim sat on the other._

_"Eww," Kim sniffed and then made a show of looking at her shoes. "Oh man," she sniffed. "Yuck." Then she took a swipe and put it in her mouth._

_"Whoa!" Carlos looked grossed out._

_Kim offered him the boot, "Want some?"_

_"No!"_

_"How about some of this?" Jimmy offered him a jar of peanut butter as the table cracked up.-_

------

_"Oh my God. You know," Alex realized as she stared at Bobby._

_Bobby laughed, "That was sweet."_

_"C'mon Bobby, you have to give her credit for originality."_

_"Do I?"_

_"Yeah, some of us enjoyed it," Kim smirked._

Kim took a deep breath. She'd leave the bad memories of this place for another day and possibly a session with a shrink. She picked up her things and put down the stethoscope she had in her hands. That didn't belong to her anymore. She walked down the stairs and out of the garage. Just as she got to the curb she turned around and looked at the building before her.

"Bye guys. Take care."


	168. And Bosco?

And Bosco? Well, he and Kim moved the kids to Bensonhurst when Bosco was transferred to Bed-Stuy. When Johnny went into kindergarten Kim went back to school and became a nurse. She also teaches an occasional EMT class. She and Bosco are still as crazy about each other as they were the day Joey gave her away and Bosco still loves Joey like he was his own.

Ty says that Joey's talking about being a fireman like his old man and Amanda's looking into going to the academy. He says Kim laughs when it comes up and says she didn't want to sleep during retirement anyway.

But Bosco's still doing what he's always done. Every day, every job, he's out there giving his all, taking names and being the police and at the end of every day, he goes home to his family and every year he takes Kim to the graveyard to make up for the year he was too screwed up to make it.


End file.
